The Ninetales and Her Breeder
by Cataquack Warrior
Summary: Divergence from the Johto episode Just Waiting on a Friend. Ninetales wished to be free, but more than that wished to no longer be alone. Joining the breeder who strongly resembles her own master, Lokoko journeys out to see how the world has changed in the two centuries of her imprisonment, and learn what became of her old master. IllusionaryShipping and PokeShipping pairings.
1. Prologue: Just Waiting On A Friend

13

_I do not own Pokémon, and take no credit for this endeavor. A thanks to Ri2 for his beta work._

Prologue

So this was it, Brock mused. He stood beside Ash and Misty and looked out into the fading mist of the mountains as the sun began to rise, its rays burning the fog away. A little farther ahead, a beautiful Ninetales sat, looking back at the crumbling mansion behind them. She tentatively moved back another inch, and then froze when she succeeded – free at last to leave the mansion and her old life behind.

Brock smiled wistfully. "Lokoko," he whispered to himself, letting the name ring through his heart. Another love found and lost. But in the end, he was happy, content that he had at least helped someone. Whether a person or Pokémon, it was always good to help someone. And today he had helped both, in a way. He chuckled lightly at that. Things were never dull traveling with Ash. To think that he had thought it was going to be an ordinary day, at least before he fell, and saw the girl of his dreams…

_Brock winced from the pain in his back as he slid down the small cliff. For all his talk to Ash about watching their step in the fog, he should have been a little more careful himself. However, he quickly forgot the bruises when he heard a soft female voice call out to him. _

"_Are you all right?" A beautiful young woman stepped forward out of the mist. She wore a pink kimono and was carrying an old lantern. The mist slowly shrank back, as much from her presence as the from the light. Her black hair was split into two long pigtails, with two bright yellow balls at the top of her head. Behind her was a large, sleek Ninetales, just as lovely as the woman, if not more so._

"_Who are you?" he asked, mystified. And smitten, but that went without saying for Brock._

_The woman remained silent, but her Ninetales walked up to Brock and sniffed him carefully. The Ninetales then released a single, gentle cry. "Nine!" _

_Ash and Misty approached, but Brock kept his eyes on the Ninetales and its master. Seeing that his initial query had been ignored, it was time to up the ante. "And you are a vision of beauty!" He jumped to his feet and thrust his arms forward, hearts in his eyes. "They call me Brock! What do they call you, my sweetest of sweets?" Misty was too fascinated with the Ninetales to stop him this time, thank goodness, but he still subtly tensed for a negative reaction. _

_Much to his joy and amazement, the maiden only smiled warmly. "My name is Lokoko," she said. "And you mustn't walk these mountains in the mist. Stay with me until it clears." _

_Brock's smile widened, and he pumped his fists. "Wow! A dazzling beauty on the inside and the outside!" And that was important. Beauty was what drew his attention to girls, but they needed something substantive within. All the Nurse Joys were stunning beauties, but they were also excellent doctors with skills he envied. And Officer Jennies had a steadfast determination for justice along with keen insights to problems (well, except for that one Officer Jenny; he found that he didn't like her that much after she accused him of stealing Phanpy's egg from Ash, not to mention her other stumbles in the mystery). Lokoko was clearly a good trainer – he could feel the bond between her and the Ninetales just by watching them. And she was very kind and hospitable. He just hoped that things kept going well._

_Brock sobbed uncontrollably as he listened to Lokoko's heartbreaking tale. She and Ninetales were the last servants of this once-glorious mansion. The owner had left on a long trip abroad, and had yet to return. Most of the servants had left, but Lokoko had stayed to look after the owner's precious Ninetales. It was terrible, not only for Lokoko but also for Ninetales. Pokémon who trusted their trainers shouldn't have their faith in them broken through abandonment. Still, Lokoko seemed hopeful that the master would return, so maybe he was being too hasty. Besides, at least Ninetales had found a good companion with Lokoko. The two seemed very close, with a bond he could only imagin and envy._

_He was torn from his thoughts when Lokoko said she had something to ask of him. "Ask me what?" he said in confusion. _

"_Well," Lokoko said, "I'd rather not stay here alone much longer." Ninetales stared at Brock with those mysterious red eyes. "Would you please consider staying here in this big house with Ninetales and me?" a – a _

_Brock gasped in utter shock. This…was more than he ever anticipated. He was hopeful before, but this… "A–are y–you…sugges–ting…" He stammered, unable to comprehend the impossible dream that had just unfolded right in front of him. "…That you and I get…ma…ma…" He forced the word through his mouth. "Married?!" _

_Lokoko blushed and hid her face behind her long sleeves. "If you find me acceptable," she said softly. _

"_Acceptable?!" He all but shouted, as if that was hardly a question. "Ye–" _

_He jumped forward to embrace Lokoko, only to suddenly fall to the ground. "I think I misjudged the distance of that joyous jump there," he said Mareepishly, though he could have sworn that he had been practically touching Lokoko when he stumbled. _

_Less convinced, Ash and Misty pulled him to the side. Their faces were tense, as they discussed how Brock had literally fallen straight through Lokoko's body. And that wasn't the only thing troubling them – earlier, Misty had noticed that Lokoko cast no reflection in the mirror. Brock tried to find some reasonable explanation, though he was running out of options. "Would you believe her skin is so delicate, she can't be touched?" Brock suggested desperately. _

_That was the last straw. "Brock, could you please come back to Earth?" Misty yelled, pulling at his cheeks. _

_Brock glanced past them to Lokoko – and Ninetales. They both looked tense, yet hopeful. He clenched his fists and broke free of Misty's hold. "Now just a minute!" he said, completely serious. "I have no choice but to help Lokoko and Ninetales find happiness!" _

_It wasn't simply a matter of love. They both needed someone to be with them, to bring comfort and stability to their lonely lives. And he could not let that go, any more than Ash could give up his dream of becoming a Pokémon master. He followed Ninetales out the door, promising himself that he would do everything he could to help it and Lokoko build a new life together._

_He had been sitting with Lokoko and Ninetales for some time under the moon when he noticed that something was off with his clothes. Instead of his trusty old jacket, he was wearing a fine suit. "These…aren't my clothes…?" he said, picking at them questioningly. _

"_But dear," Lokoko interrupted smoothly, "don't you remember? You just changed. And you look so handsome." _

"_Yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his head Mareepishly. "You really think so?" In truth, he had a nagging feeling that something was off. But he didn't want to lose her, and the future she promised. _

_He remembered how another girl, Temacu, had been the one to propose to him first, before he could even let out a word. It was what he had been hoping for, someone who would show interest in him. But he had gotten used to failures again and again. When the reverse happened, he panicked. By the time he collected himself, it was too late; she'd moved on to a doctor. In retrospect, she wasn't actually in love with him, not in the way Brock wanted. She just liked the idea of marriage. (That wasn't always enough, he knew; his own parents were a good lesson at that.) But that wasn't the point. This time would be different. If this was just another mirage, another disappointment, he would enjoy the lie for as long as he could. He had to believe in a miracle of love. If not, then what else was there to live for?_

_He should have known it was too good to last. He ran after Ash and Misty into the heart of the mansion. Just as with his feeling of love, so bright just a few minutes ago, the house's once-glamorous visage had crumbled. He had been upset – no, angry – when Ash attacked Ninetales. This was different from their usual efforts to rein him in when he hit on a girl. He let Misty pull him away and break up his speeches, but he could let those things slide. Here, when he had made a decision that was reciprocated, what right did they have to interfere with his happiness? But then Lokoko vanished, and all the illusions faded. He couldn't really hold it against them, any more than with the Maiden's Peak incident. Ash and Misty were his friends, and they wanted to keep him safe – even if it hurt his heart. As one who had studied in medicine, he had to bitterly accept that reality; cures were painful, but necessary._

_They led him into a room at the heart of the ruins. He narrowed his eyes and stared in puzzled bemusement at the portrait on the far wall. The handsome fellow, sitting beside Ninetales in the painting, looked just like Brock. Ash tried to tell him something, but then Ninetales returned. Ninetales had lost its kind demeanor and instead hissed like a cornered animal. Brock's heart went out to it. How desperate was it, after all those years of being alone except for Lokoko? _

_Something Ash said caught his attention, and his heart jumped in shock. The owner had been gone for two centuries?! His mind began to race as he started placing the pieces together. Before, he had judged Ninetales as an average-aged, albeit exceptionally well-bred, young Ninetales, probably under a hundred years. This new information changed everything. Ninetales could live up to a thousand years, and their tails' power grew exponentially with age. If Ninetales had already reached a fifth of its full age, who knew how powerful it could be? And even younger ones could use Psychic and Ghost powers, both of which had the affinity for illusions. He glanced at the table, and saw a red ball, with one end decorated with a blue and white cap. He took a closer look and confirmed his suspicion. It was a Pokéball. That meant… _

_Brock turned back to the center of the room, where the fight had reached the climax. Ash and Pikachu had fallen, and Ninetales howled in triumph. Brock looked at Ninetales and Lokoko for a moment, and then hardened his heart. He picked up the Pokeball and stood tall. "Ninetales," he commanded, "return!" Ninetales' fierce snarl weakened for a moment, and it embraced the pull of the ball. Brock smiled, but then faltered as Lokoko approached. Given the clues he already had, he had a sinking feeling about the romance he had been so sure about just hours before. _

_As Lokoko – no, Ninetales – explained her story, Brock reflected on the Pokémon's long and sad tale. Lokoko was no more than another illusion created by Ninetales to recreate her former, happy life. She had been the favorite Pokémon of the mansion's master, some two hundred years ago. When he went on a trip, he left her behind with the servants to await his return in a month. But he never came back. One by one, the servants left, leaving Ninetales all alone as she continued to wait. Finally, she decided to leave too, only to find a force binding her to the abandoned home. _

_He looked at the worn, old Pokéball in wonder. He'd seen a number of unusual Pokéballs while traveling with Ash – from the antique balls Sammy used when he went through time with Celebi to the G.S. Ball – but he'd never seen one with such a strong link to the captured Pokémon. Left all alone in the mountains, Ninetales struggled to keep the illusion of her old life alive. And then Brock, looking just like her old master, showed up. He could only imagine the pain Ninetales was going through even now, forced to confront the truth that her master was not back, and never would be. _

_He opened his mouth to speak, but froze when a net descended on Ninetales from above. He looked up at the Meowth balloon and groaned. Of all the times for them to show up._

Team Rocket actually did good things once in a while, Brock reflected, whether they intended to or not. The shattered ball in his hands testified to the chaos they always left in their wake. Usually it was a bad thing, but for once they did something right. With the ball destroyed, Ninetales had nothing tying her down to this decayed mansion. The sun had come up, dispelling the last illusions of grandeur on the decrepit complex – just as his illusion of love had faded away. Even though Ninetales was Lokoko in a sense, it didn't matter anyway, for she could now run free. The image of Lokoko was gone, and he would never see that beautiful face again, or Ninetales.

He pushed back his sorrow over the lost, illusionary love, and smiled warmly to Ninetales. However much he loved girls, he also cared deeply for Pokémon, and he could only feel happy for Ninetales now that she was free from her long ordeal. He held the broken shards of the ball before her. "Your Pokéball's been broken. That means you're free now to go anywhere you like."

Misty nodded. "I'm sure that's what your master would want from you," she said.

Brock stood up and took a step back. Ninetales stared at him for a long moment. Then she stepped forward, toward him. Brock froze, taken aback by this. Then he understood what she wanted, and gently petted her fur.

"Huh?" Ash said. "What's going on? I thought Ninetales wanted to be free."

"I don't think that's the whole story, Ash," Brock said. He remembered Lokoko – no, Ninetales' – words. She was not miserable simply due to being here, or she would have tried to leave before the other servants all vanished one by one. It was only then, when she was alone, that she attempted to leave the manor. Two hundred years with no one but herself. In the end, being free from the ball's limit did not solve her loneliness.

"Ninetales," Brock said, "a lot has changed over the centuries. But if you want, you can come with us, until you feel at home again in the world."

Ninetales moved forward, but then backed off slightly. Brock wondered why, but then glanced down at his right arm. He had naturally grabbed a Pokéball. "I understand," Brock said. He put the ball away.

"But Brock," Misty pointed out, "if Ninetales doesn't have a trainer, everyone is going to be trying to catch her."

"Then I will provide one," Lokoko's voice said. The image of Lokoko appeared in front of Ninetales. "I have learned to maintain my illusions for days on end, so I can avoid discovery."

"And we'll be there too," Brock said.

"All right!" Ash said. "Welcome to the team, Ninetales!"

"If it is all right," Lokoko's image said, "I would like to be called Lokoko. I have used that name for a number of years now."

She glanced at Brock with warm gratitude, and Brock smiled calmly. "Let's go," he said. "We still have a long journey ahead of us." And so, with the mist fading, the party headed on through the mountains, with a new friend beside them, as the journey continued.

_Author's Note- The first Pokemon episode I ever watched was "Wake Up Snorlax". Nothing too important happened in that episode. However, I was exposed to interesting characters, humorous antics, and a beautiful world. At the end, when I saw the subtitle, "To be continued", I wanted to see where the journey would go. _

_Since then, I have come to love Pokemon, and it is all thanks to that one "filler" episode. Many people dislike the fillers, and given a lot of them I can understand the distaste. Yet I also feel that the fillers are an important part of the series. Many of my favorite episodes have been fillers. More than that, the fillers symbolize the sense of vivid, infinite potential waiting in the Pokemon world and in Ash's boundless journey. Every person and place visited in an episode, even if they are never seen again, shows up another small piece of the Pokemon world. This story was made out of my love for those one-episode characters and plots, and my thoughts on what if one of them came to have importance on the adventure as a whole._


	2. Episode 1: Martial Arts Madness

52

I do not own Pokémon, and take no credit for this endeavor. A thanks to Ri2 for his beta work.

Episode I: Martial Arts Madness

"Any idea how much farther this cave goes?" Ash asked as he and the others walked through the dimly lit tunnel. At least there were lanterns along the way, so they knew they were going the right way, and not lost like whenever Ash got a bright idea.

It had been a few days since they had met up with Lokoko, and they were still on their way to Mahogany Town for Ash's next gym battle. They were getting close, Brock assured him, but Ash wanted to get there as soon as possible, hence their taking an underground shortcut to avoid meandering through the mountains.

Ninetales sniffed the air carefully. "We should be approaching the exit," Lokoko assured them.

"Thanks," Misty said gratefully. "It's impressive that you remembered this shortcut, after all those years in the mansion."

"It _has_ changed a lot," Lokoko pointed out, feeling melancholy. She looked at the strange lights hanging from the walls, encased in smooth glass. No flames were visible within, and the lights were connected by some kind of wire. She wondered how such strange and mysterious devices work. Brock said they had something to do with electricity, but there was a large gap between the occasional Electric Pokémon used to light the way at night and these independent lights. More than the change in the lighting though, the biggest change was in the tunnel's emptiness. "This used to be the primary trade route between Ecruteak and Mahogany Town" she told them. "Once in a while, we would order rare woods from the lake people to renovate the mansion." Now though, the once-bustling tunnel was practically deserted. The world had changed so much since she last left the mansion. It made her sad for some reason.

Brock rustled her fur comfortingly. "Don't worry," he said quietly. "Even if this isn't the world you remember, it's still a beautiful place." Lokoko smiled. "Thank you, Brock," she said gratefully

"Come on!" Ash interrupted. "We need to get to the gym as soon as we can!" He dashed ahead recklessly, as was his wont. Pikachu eagerly rushed behind him.

Lokoko concealed a frown. She was happy to travel with Brock, her savior, but she did not understand why he trailed along those other two humans. The boy was especially annoying with his constant, restless energy and childish naiveté. Yet Brock patiently tolerated his excitability. Just what was it about that boy that made him so special to Brock and the others?

To their surprise, Ash was waiting outside the exit. "What's the matter, Ash?" Misty said, surprised that Ash had actually waited for them.

Ash pointed ahead of them. Nearby, there was a lavender, humanoid, Pokémon, wearing tattered brown pants and shoes, and with blunt knobs protruding from its head. It sat quietly at the side of the trail up ahead, its head turned downward. "What kind of Pokémon is that?" he said wonderingly.

He drew out his Pokédex before anyone could reply. "Tyrogue," Dexter automatically answered, "the Scuffle Pokémon. It has a small but energetic body."

"It doesn't look very energetic," Ash noted. Pikachu scurried up to Tyrogue and waved, but the Pokémon did not respond.

"And Tyrogue don't usually live around here," Lokoko remarked.

"Do you think it's hurt?" Misty asked with concern.

"Maybe he's just hungry," Brock said. He approached Tyrogue and held out a few Pokémon treats in his hand. "Hey, how about a snack?" Tyrogue continued to sit still and ignored Brock.

"Perhaps it wants a different kind of food," Lokoko suggested. "Do you have anything else, Brock?"

"Let's see," Brock said. He unzipped his backpack, only to suddenly be knocked to the side. "H – hey!" he stammered In a flash, Tyrogue jumped away with several cans of food.

"No, not the food!" Ash exclaimed in horror.

"How did it move so fast?" Misty cried in surprise.

"I get it," Brock said, recovering from the shock. "It was meditating, waiting for the right moment to strike."

"Stop marveling at it," Misty shouted, "and catch it before it takes all our food!"

"That's right," Ash said, "you won't get away with this!" He ran forward, but stopped when nuts began to fall from the nearby tree. Taking advantage of the distraction, Tyrogue made a run for it. "Wait up!" Ash yelled as he took chase, Pikachu right behind him.

Suddenly, a Primeape dropped from the tree. Its punch smashed a large hole in the ground, just inches away from Ash. The Primeape looked closely at Ash for a moment, but then turned away and ran to join Tyrogue, the two climbing up the rocky hill. "You're not getting away that easy!" Ash said. "Go, Bayleef!" The large, leaf-headed Pokémon burst from its ball with the cry of her name. "Use Vine Whip!" he ordered.

"Bay bay!" Bayleef readily complied, and launched her long vines toward the two targets. Before the vines could reach Tyrogue, the Fighting type focused its power and unleashed Swift. The shower of energy stars sliced through the Vine Whip and crashed into Bayleef, sending her staggering back.

"Hang in there, Bayleef!" Ash yelled. Encouraged, Bayleef launched her Vine Whip again. However, this time Primeape caught the vines and pulled on them, yanking Bayleef off the ground and swinging her around again and again much to her squealing dismay.

"That's some kind of modification of Seismic Toss!" Brock said, stupefied.

"Bayleef!" Ash yelled desperately. Primeape finally let go, and Bayleef crashed into a pile of boulders. The rocks fragmented and tumbled toward the party below. Lokoko's image fractured for a moment as Ninetales began to focus her psychic powers to catch the boulders before they crushed everyone. Before she could, however, her keen eyes caught something flash past her.

The blur slowed down to reveal a well-muscled man. He fearlessly punched the boulder, splitting it in half. "Lots of energy," he yelled, "let's go!" A Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee appeared and followed his lead, destroying the remaining rock with a powerful punch and kick respectively. He jumped into the air and caught Bayleef. With the boulder gone and Bayleef safe, the man turned his attention to Tyrogue and Primeape, who were standing at the top of the cliff. They slowly turned away and retreated into the forest. Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee prepared to follow, but their trainer stopped them. "We'll have another chance," he said. He then slid down the slope toward the others. "You kids all right?" he asked the group.

"We're fine," Lokoko said from in front of Ninetales. She bowed gracefully. "Thank you for saving us, kind sir."

"No problem!" the man said. He offered a hand to Lokoko, but she shrank back – partially to hide her illusion but also out of caution. She hadn't seen anyone like him before. He wore a martial artist gi and pants, with a headband wrapped around his forehead. Undeterred by her reaction, he grinned. "I assume you are traveling to Mahogany Town, right?"

"Yep," Ash said. "My name's Ash. I'm going to win my next gym badge there. One more step to becoming a Pokémon Master!" Pikachu and Bayleef chimed in agreement.

"That's some dream you have there, kid," the fighter said.

"Well," Ash said, "we've worked hard to get this far. I've already gotten six badges for Johto." He opened his vest, showing the badges inside.

The man froze when he saw one particular badge. "That's the Storm Badge!" he said in amazement. "You mean you fought the legendary Master Chuck?"

"Sure did," Ash bragged. "It was a tough fight, but we pulled through in the end."

"Then it is an honor to meet you," the man said, bowing slightly, "one who managed to overcome the Master."

"You know him?" Misty asked.

"Oh, that's right," he said. "I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Kiyo, black belt under Master Chuck."

The party stared in awe. "If Chuck trained you," Brock said, "then you must be a really strong martial artist and trainer!"

"You're right," Kiyo agreed, "but the road to victory always grows steeper. I have to keep training and work to grow even stronger."

"What are you doing all the way out here?" Misty asked.

"Training, I assume," Lokoko said. "This canyon area, with its challenging terrain, has attracted many fighters over the years looking to hone their strength in between the wars. The Ecruteak Sage even founded a school on the cliffs before moving south."

Kiyo whistled in amazement. "Wow, you really know your history," he said. "Though the school actually got destroyed in a landslide a century ago, those of us practicing the martial arts still like to come here."

"It was?" Lokoko said startled. She felt another pang of sorrow. Just how much _had_ the world changed while she was locked away? Coughing to cover her slip, she continued, "in any case, this must be the perfect place for you to meditate in peace while also building up your strength."

Kiyo nodded. "Right," he said, "but that's not all that I'm here for. I'm getting my team ready for the P1 Grand Prix."

Lokoko blinked. She had no idea what that was. "The P1 Grand Prix?" she Chatotted helplessly.

"Yep," Kiyo said. "It's a grueling event that stretches competitors to their limits and decides the next Pokémon Battling Champion."

"That's cool!" Ash said.

"I remember hearing about that," Brock recalled. "Back in Kanto, remember?" Ash nodded. He'd entered his Primeape in that competition, and given him away to another trainer who claimed he could help him achieve his full potential. He'd never heard from him again. He wondered idly whatever happened to him…

"It's one of the greatest challenges for a martial artist," Kiyo said. "Master Chuck told me that if I can win the tournament, I will prove myself worthy of being a successor to his school."

Brock gazed at him appraisingly, and then smiled. "Well, then," he said, "good luck. If you succeed, we'll have to compare notes."

"What do you mean, Brock?" Ash asked in confusion.

"Oh, nothing, Ash," Misty said, sharing a look with Brock. She then turned back to Kiyo. "So you hope to become a P1 Champion then?"

"Actually," Kiyo admitted, "there hasn't been a P1 Champion since the last one vanished. The next tournament is in a few months though, and everyone is eager to prove their worth."

"Vanished?" Lokoko asked curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Well," Kiyo explained, "the last Champion, a Primeape, won the tournament. But just a few months later, it disappeared. Apparently it had a trainer before it competed, so maybe it went looking for its old master." Ash stiffened slightly, while Pikachu twitched his ears from on top of Ash's shoulder. The two glanced at each other for a moment, and then continued to listen tensely.

"Wouldn't the trainer be present at the competition?" Lokoko said.

Kiyo shrugged. "From what I heard, the original Primeape's original master was a regular trainer. He ended up loaning out Primeape to a boxing champ so Primeape could get trained under a real martial arts expert. I'm not sure if the trainer forgot about him or something else, but he never showed up again."

Lokoko lowered her head. "That's so sad," she said softly. She empathized with Primeape, knowing all-too-well what it was like to be left waiting, abandoned. "No one should be forced to wait like that with no end."

She lifted her head to talk to Brock, but saw that he, Misty, and Ash, were sharing uneasy glances. Ash in particular looked nervous. "Kiyo," Brock said, "how often does the P1 Grand Prix occur?"

"Every five years," he answered. "The last one was held just a couple of years ago. Since the current champ is gone, though, they decided to move up the timeline for the next one." Brock nodded absently, lost in thought.

Ash opened his mouth to ask something, but then a man ran up. "Kiyo!" he shouted. "That scoundrel Tyrogue is at it again."

Kiyo's face hardened, and his muscles tensed. "Then let's go," said, jumping to his feet.

As Kiyo rushed off, followed by Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan, Ash held back a little, along with Misty and Brock. "Guys," Ash said, "do you think…?"

"Anthony did say that the tournament was going to be in about a year when we left him," Brock said. "And we have been on the road for a while."

"I never heard anything about it," Ash said anxiously.

"He should have contacted you," Misty agreed. "You did exchange contact information, right?" Ash's awkward pause made the answer clear. Misty groaned and put a hand to her face. "Ash," she said, "you need to keep better track of these things."

"I know," he said glumly, his face falling. Pikachu nudged his hat and tried to get his spirits up, but to no avail.

"What are you talking about?" Lokoko asked in confusion. The party took a deep breath.

"You see," Brock said slowly, "back in Kanto, Ash caught a Primeape."

A Primeape? Lokoko's face remained calm, but Ninetales' fur stood up as the pieces began to come together. "You mean…?

"Yes," Misty said with a nod. "Both Ash and Brock entered a fighting tournament, and Ash and Primeape ended up winning. Afterwards, this trainer we met offered to mentor Primeape for the P1 Championship."

"And you never thought to check on him?" Lokoko demanded, her voice harsh. Ash flinched.

"Well," he said, struggling for an answer before drooping, "no."

"How could you do that?!" she cried angrily. Behind her, Ninetales' hair began to rise and bristle.

"I…just forgot," he admitted lamely.

"Forgot!" Lokoko screeched. "Your Pokémon waits hopelessly for you to return, and you say you just _forgot_?!" The area around Ninetales began to glow blue with psychic energy.

"Lokoko, calm down," Brock said. "We can talk about this later. For now, let's go help Kiyo."

"Fine," Lokoko said. Ninetales' energy reluctantly died down, but Lokoko's face made it clear that the discussion was far from over.

Before they caught up to Kiyo, they encountered Tyrogue's band, coming straight at them. Tyrogue and Primeape were riding atop Tauros and leading a crazed stampede forward, straight at the party.

"Totodile!" Ash shouted, sending out the blue crocodile. "Use Water Gun on the ground to make trenches!" Totodile nodded, remembering the fight against Whitney's Miltank at Goldenrod. It shot water into the ground, creating a row of trenches in the herd's path before they could trample over everyone. Stymied, the various Tauros scattered, forcing Tyrogue and Primeape to dismount.

Ash and the party stood firm. "You're not getting away this time," Ash said. "Pika pika!" Pikachu agreed. Primeape snorted and suddenly jumped forward. Before Ash could react, Primeape stole his hat and placed it on his head. "That's my hat!" Ash said. "Give it back!" Primeape just stood beside Tyrogue and taunted Ash. Pikachu's tail twitched slightly, and Pikachu looked at the other Pokémon curiously.

"This seems strangely familiar," Misty remarked.

Tyrogue turned away to depart, but saw that Kiyo was approaching with his team. "Thanks, Ash," the martial artist said. "I'll take it from here. Hitmonchan, Punch Attack!" Hitmonchan rushed forward and began to punch left and right at Tyrogue. However, the smaller Pokémon easily weaved past each fist, dodging the blows.

"Hitmonchan hasn't gotten a single hit on Tyrogue," Misty observed.

"Tyrogue must be predicting Hitmonchan's attacks by watching its stance," Brock concluded.

"And that is simply on the defensive," Lokoko said. "What happens when Tyrogue changes tactics?"

Sure enough, Hitmonchan powered up for a Mega Punch, only for Tyrogue to dodge at the last second. Thrown forward by the inertia, Hitmonchan crashed into a tree. Now taking the offensive, Tyrogue charged forward and rammed its head into Hitmonchan, sending the boxer to the ground.

Kiyo recalled Hitmonchan to its Pokeball, and signaled Hitmonlee to step forward. Hitmonlee nodded and jumped into the air. "Show Tyrogue the power of your Rolling Kick!" Kiyo ordered.

Hitmonlee leaped toward Tyrogue with its legs tensed to strike, but Tyrogue ducked out of the way. Hitmonlee nearly followed its counterpart's collision into a tree, but Tyrogue caught one of its coiled legs, swinging Hitmonlee around before slamming it into the ground.

Primeape watched approvingly. After seeing that Hitmonlee was knocked out, Tyrogue turned to leave. "Wait, Tyrogue!" Kiyo said. Tyrogue continued forward without looking back, followed by Primeape.

"Hey, at least give back my hat!" Ash yelled. Primeape turned back to face Ash. It grabbed the bill of the cap and reversed the hat. Ash blinked in confusion. That style was disturbingly similar to how he often wore his hat. Primeape took off the hat, wadded it in a ball, and threw it back at Ash. Hit in the stomach, Ash fell back with a grunt of pain. Primeape laughed for a moment, but then turned serious and retreated into the bushes.

"Ash, are you okay?" Misty said.

"I'm fine," Ash said. However, he continued to stare forward into the woods in confusion.

"The hat…" he muttered. Brock paused, as something clicked. He opened his mouth to ask Ash something, but was interrupted when a crowd of people approached.

"Where's that Tyrogue?" the leader demanded.

"He…escaped," Kiyo admitted.

"Again?!" the man said furiously. "How long is it going to take for you to catch that troublemaker?"

"I've had it," another person said. "Enough fooling around! It's about time we brought in the police and threw those Pokémon in jail where they belong!"

Kiyo waved his arms to dissuade them. "I understand your anger," he said, "but I have a better way of dealing with this. I'm sure that I can resolve this. I just need a little more time."

"How much more time do you need?" a villager asked skeptically. "You showed up a month ago, and that Tyrogue still causes trouble every day."

"Yeah," another man agreed. "And that Primeape's always ready to step in if Tyrogue's about to be caught!"

"I know that I can change that Tyrogue for the better," Kiyo said. "You just have to give me this one chance." The farmers glared angrily at Kiyo, but he remained tall and firm.

"Very well, Kiyo," said an aged man who pressed through the crowd. "If it means that much to you, we'll give you that chance. But mark my words, if either of those Pokémon destroys one more inch of our property, or steals one more piece of food, we'll take matters into our own hands."

"I understand," Kiyo said.

"Good." The crowd walked back toward their town.

"Are you sure that you can change Tyrogue, Kiyo?" Misty said in concern.

"Yes," Kiyo said. "Tyrogue isn't inherently bad, after all. Part of the issue is its pride – which it has for good reasons, I admit, given its fighting capabilities. But the greater problem is that it simply distrusts humans." His head lowered slightly. "And I can understand why it does."

"Why?" Brock said.

"Because Tyrogue was abandoned," Kiyo said.

"Abandoned?" Ash Chatotted.

"Yes," Kiyo said. "Right in the middle of some vigorous training. I was meditating by the river when I saw it stagger past and collapse from exhaustion. It must have run for miles. I tried to nurse it back to health, but it knocked me away and fled, refusing to trust me."

"Many abandoned Pokémon don't last long," Brock said, "especially if they were injured beforehand. Tyrogue must be exceptionally hardy to have survived on its own like that."

"Yes," Kiyo said. "And it is that determination to live, to triumph when its trainer dismissed its power, that captured my heart. I know that it has the heart of a champion. I want to train beside it, so we can both learn and become stronger, as a team."

"That's too bad," Lokoko said sympathetically. She knew what it was like to be alone and forgotten. "What about the Primeape?"

"Actually," Kiyo said. "I really don't know much about it. It showed up a little after Tyrogue recovered, so I assume that Primeape helped Tyrogue recover from its injuries. What its past was though, I cannot tell."

"It was the champion of the P1 Grand Prix," Ash said quietly. His head was turned down, with his hat covering his face.

"You mean the lost champion?!" Kiyo exclaimed in surprise. "But how do you know?"

"Because I was its trainer," Ash said solemnly.

Watching and listening from the nearby bluffs, Team Rocket chucked evilly. "So," Jessie mused, "that Primeape used to be the Twerp's Pokémon. Who would have thought it would turn up, after all this time?"

"That Primeape was a powerful fighter even then," James reflected.

"It sure was," Meowth said. "Even after we stole a top-grade Pokémon and cheated like heck, it still beat us in dat tournament."

"Both of them would make great presents for the Boss," James said.

"You've got it!" Meowth said. "Imagine da Boss, after a long meal, learns dat he's gained ten pounds. But with someone to spar with, da Boss will say, 'This makes me feel like I'm back in my youth. I owe it all to Meowth and his friends for this excellent gift.' And then it'll be promotion time for sure!"

The reality of Team Rocket's ruthless leader remained distant to the team, who all nodded eagerly at the plan. "And with two Fighting type Pokémon," James said, "that's double the reward!"

Jessie, however, paused. "That's a good plan," she said, "but I have a better one."

"You do?" Meowth said curiously.

"What's that?" James asked.

"Think about it," Jessie said. "Apparently no one knows about who Primeape's trainer was before it won that competition. So if we say take it to the tournament committee and say that we're its trainer, then all the prize money is rightfully ours."

"You're right!" Meowth said. "Not only will we get back in good graces with the Boss, but we'll also be swimming in luxury!"

"But Jessie," James pointed out, "how are we going to catch both of them? We only got beat up the last time we went after Primeape, and that was when it was still in the wild."

"No problem," Jessie said. She smirked. "We'll let the Twerps solve the problem for us. Let's prepare for Operation MuscleMan."

"So," Kiyo said, "that Primeape is yours, and the one who won the Grand Prix?"

Ash nodded somberly. They were sitting by a fire back at Kiyo's training camp for the night. "When we first met, it tried to steal my hat. That's how I know that it's him."

"And not because he looks exactly like the Primeape you used to have?" Lokoko said. She sneered in disgust. "Oh, I forgot, you hu – to humans all Pokémon look alike." Ash flinched.

"I always thought that the Primeape did seem exceptionally strong," Kiyo mused.

"I wonder why he's working with Tyrogue," Misty wondered.

"Perhaps they have bonded over their shared abandonment by selfish, _heartless_ trainers," Lokoko suggested, causing Ash to grimace. Pikachu patted his partner's back comfortingly.

"Right now," Kiyo said, "I can't worry about that. Primeape hasn't yet interfered in any of Tyrogue's fights. I need to convince Tyrogue to accept my offer to train together before it's too late."

"He's right," Ash said agreed. "Besides, Primeape is my responsibility."

"If so," Lokoko said angrily, "then why did you abandon him?" Ash flinched.

"I'm kind of curious myself, Ash," Brock said. "After all, you had just started to finally work things out with Primeape."

"I know," Ash said. "That's why I let him go."

"What do you mean?" Lokoko said.

"Primeape never obeyed me," Ash said. "All it wanted to do was beat me up. But then, after I caught it from falling in the tournament, he smiled."

"So?" Lokoko said.

"That's when I realized what Primeape respected – strength. And then I could understand why he didn't want to listen to me. Why would he, when I can't even lift my own weight? I made it up to him by taking his fall for him, but I knew I would just weigh him down. So I smiled, and wished him the best. He'd do better on his own, proving his power as a martial artist, than having to put up with me."

The group was silent for some time. Then Brock spoke. "Ash," he said, "you have a good heart, but sometimes you just don't see things."

"What do you mean?" Ash said.

"He means that you are weak and stupid," Lokoko said. She glanced to Brock for confirmation, but to her shock he shook his head.

"What I _mean_ is that Primeape's respect wasn't based simply on physical strength," Brock said. "It was your choice to help him, to endure some of his pain, that made him bond with you. It's your heart first and foremost that has led so many Pokémon to follow you."

"And how many has that heart led astray?" Lokoko said. Behind her, Ninetales growled.

"I…didn't think of it like that," Ash said quietly.

Brock put a hand on Ash's shoulder to comfort him. "You were still learning," he said. "A month or two later, you tried to leave Pikachu behind with that den of wild Pikachus, thinking he wanted to stay with them. Only you got a different reaction than you expected, remember?"

"Yeah," Ash admitted. He looked at his partner sheepishly. He thought that Pikachu would rather be in the wild without a trainer, but it turned out that Pikachu didn't want to be anywhere except beside Ash. He stared nostalgically at his buddy, but the moment between the two was interrupted when they sensed the building energy around Lokoko.

Fed up by this latest discovery, Lokoko finally snapped. "Another one?! Exactly how many Pokémon have you tried to get rid of?"

Misty laughed nervously. "That's, uh, not important right now."

"Not important?!" The energy around Lokoko and Ninetales flared, and Ash and Misty felt their feet slightly leave the ground. "This mess is all because your friend seems to have a habit of abandoning his Pokémon, and you say it isn't important!"

Ash began to move higher, but Brock grabbed him and pulled him down. Seeing this, Lokoko wavered. "I am going to walk through the forest," she said, glaring at Ash. "Who knows, if I get the inkling I might even decide to go hunting, to let off some stress." She and Ninetales walked off into the woods.

Misty got to her feet, but Brock stopped her. "I'll go after her later," he said. "Right now, she needs some time to herself.

"Anyway, Ash," he continued, "you have to understand that your Pokémon love you. You aren't holding them back."

"You're sure?" Ash said worriedly.

"Of course," Brock said. "Do you think even half the world's trainers and Pokémon would attempt some of those stunts you pull, just to save one person or Pokémon? But you persevere, and don't give up. That's why so many of the people and Pokémon you've met have come to respect you."

"And you remembered about Pidgeot, at least," Misty pointed out. "I think Tracey still has a sketch of it perching on your newly-won trophy from the Orange League."

"Oh," Brock said in surprise. "I didn't know that. I was still…resting back at Pallet Town.

"The point is," he said, "even if you make mistakes sometimes, you always find a way to make up for it somehow."

"Right," Ash said. He pumped his fist. "I'll make things up to Primeape, any way I can!"

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu chimed in agreement at Ash's side.

"And I'll do the same for Tyrogue," Kiyo said. "Thanks to you, I think I finally see how I can open up Tyrogue's heart."

Ninetales stared out into the night sky. The moon was nearly full, illuminating the many valleys and crags below. The atmosphere helped her calm herself. But she also found the silence disheartening, after so many years of being alone. She had all the freedom she wanted now, and could explore the world around her. Yet, she was also afraid of that world. Still, even a strange new world was better than her old, empty one. Therefore, she felt a mild sense of relief when she heard footsteps behind her.

"You can really see a lot of stars in the mountain," Brock said. He walked out of the forest and sat beside Ninetales over the bluff. "I used to go up into the mountains outside Pewter when I had the time, and just stare out into the vast space."

They were silent for a moment, and then Lokoko's visage reappeared. "Why?" she asked. "You care about Pokémon. How can you stand to be around him when he does things like that?"

"Because," Brock said, "I have also seen him help countless Pokémon, including many abandoned ones."

This gave Lokoko pause. "Besides myself, you mean?" she said dubiously. She really didn't give the black-haired child much credit for her rescue – in her opinion all the credit went to Brock.

"Yes," he said. "Some of his first Pokémon were ones who had been abandoned by their first trainers. They were wary of starting things over, but Ash kept with them and won their hearts. He ran through a bitter storm to stop a Charmander's tail flame from going out, and defended a team of Squirtle that others had dismissed as troublemakers. And because of that, they chose to follow Ash."

Lokoko pondered this, but then something occurred to her. "I do not recall there being a Charmander or Squirtle – or any evolutions of those lines, for the matter – with him now.

Brock winced at this, and her anger returned. "Well," he said, "most of Ash's Pokémon are back at Professor Oak's. They're taken good care of there, and Ash always spends time with them when he returns home."

"Most, you said," she emphasized. "Are the two you spoke of there?" Brock hesitated, giving all the proof she needed. "So he abandoned them in the end too," she concluded.

"No," Brock said. "That's what makes Ash different. He did not force his Pokémon to leave. They left of their own will, and with his blessings."

"What do you mean?" Lokoko asked.

Squirtle rejoined his old squad and became a firefighter," Brock explained, "while Charizard is training at the Charizific Valley. Both came to realize that they wanted to pursue those dreams, even when those paths diverge from Ash's own journey. So Ash let them go and wished them the best."

Lokoko blinked wonderingly at that. She had heard of the fabled valley before; only the greatest Charizards dared to test their strength there. "I don't understand," she said.

"It's like this," Brock said. "Ash is someone who believes in dreams, and one of his dreams, something deep in his subconscious, is to help people fulfill their own dreams. I think that's why so many Pokémon have chosen to come with him, even though his catching abilities leave a lot to be desired.

"But his Pokémon have their own dreams. And Ash is too kind-hearted to let himself get in the way."

"That's why he gave up Primeape?" Lokoko said. "You are sure he wasn't happy about getting rid of him?"

Brock shook his head. "Ash smiled for Primeape, but I caught him wiping a few tears when we returned to the road. He never likes having to leave his Pokémon, his friends. But he forces himself to do so, when he feels that he is holding them back."

"But he didn't help Primeape," Lokoko said. Her voice began to crack; while Lokoko could only simulate crying, Ninetales certainly was. "He only made things worse."

"Yes," Brock said. "But accidents happen, and even the best of people make mistakes. The most we can do is move forward, accepting our own faults and forgiving others'."

Lokoko and Ninetales glared at Brock. "You expect me to agree with that?!" she demanded. "What makes you think I could ever understand and forgive him?"

"Why did you welcome me?" Brock said. At this, Ninetales let its fur drop, and Lokoko quieted. "If you truly hated me," Brock continued, "you could have had your revenge on me in a number of ways. Instead, you wished for me to stay, and tried to convinced yourself that your master had returned. Why, if he left you for all those years?"

Lokoko didn't say anything. "I think," Brock said, "you never stopped loving your master."

"Even on the days I cursed him," Lokoko said quietly, "I always looked back on our days together, and smiled." Then she shook violently. "Why didn't he come back!" she moaned. "One month, he said. No more. Why?"

Brock gently petted Ninetales. "Sometimes," he said, "things just happen. Things you never expected, never wanted to face. But they still happen." He looked out at the sky. "Even the stars fade in time, replaced by new ones. The world we live in is always changing. And sometimes, those changes mean that we have to say goodbye."

"Then what can we do?" she said.

"Live and enjoy life," he said. "And fix the problems you start. That's why I admire Ash. He's had a rough journey, but he never gives up on his dreams, or anyone he cares about – a number larger than the sands on a beach. That's why he won't give up on Primeape."

"Are you sure?" Lokoko said.

"Positive," he said. "Just watch him tomorrow. I think you'll start to understand who he truly is."

"Very well," she said. "I will watch, and try to see what it is about him that binds so many Pokémon – and you – to him."

The next day, Kiyo led the party to a group of rocks between the forest and the bluffs. "This is one of Tyrogue's favorite hangouts," he said. "He's bound to be around here somewhere."

He cupped his hands and called out into the surrounding cliffs. "Tyrogue!" he shouted. "I challenge you, as one martial artist to another, to a duel so that we may prove to each other our strengths as fighters!"

After a few moments of waiting, Tyrogue slowly appeared, walking down the rocky hills, with Primeape a few steps behind.

"How do you plan to change your strategy from the last time?" Brock asked.

"Easy," Kiyo said. His Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan stepped back. "By battling it myself."

"You mean you're going to actually fight it head-on?" Misty said, dumbfounded.

"Yes," Kiyo said. He patted his hands together in anticipation. "This is the only way to prove myself worthy of Tyrogue's respect." Tyrogue stepped forward, and the two began to eye each other warily.

Primeape moved further up the mountain for a better view, but Ash interrupted. "Primeape!" he yelled. "I want to settle our own issues too!" "Pika pika!" Pikachu agreed from beside his friend. Primeape gazed at Ash for a moment, and then stepped forward. Suddenly, he snatched Ash's hat from his head and leaped back on the rocks.

Ash was unperturbed, and moved up the hill, Pikachu beside him all the way. "I won't back away," he said. "No more avoiding the past. We'll confront the future, together!" Primeape moved farther up the increasingly steep cliff and slapped his butt provokingly, as he did when he was just a Mankey. Ash's face hardened in determination and marched forward.

Meanwhile, Kiyo and Tyrogue had finished preparing, and the battle began. Tyrogue was the first to attack, and moved in to punch the human. However, Kiyo crossed his arms to block the blows. Tyrogue continued the strike, confident that the human wouldn't stay in its way for long. Much to its surprise though, Kiyo only slid back an inch before standing his ground. "Is that all you can do?" he said. "Show me your true strength!"

Tryogue jumped back and eyed Kiyo cautiously. No longer was Kiyo simply a foolish human trying to get in its way. Now it recognized Kiyo as a true threat. It adjusted its stance slightly, and Kiyo knew that the real battle had only just begun. Tyrogue rushed forward with its arms thrust out. Kiyo braced his arms, but then suddenly it opened its hands and grabbed Kiyo's exposed arms. It swung Kiyo over its shoulders and slammed him into the ground. Tyrogue then stood and waited, hoping for Kiyo to remain defeated. Undaunted, Kiyo got to his feet.

"You have learned a lot," he said. "But so have I. Now it's my turn." This time, Kiyo went on the offensive, launching chops and punches with his hands. Tyrogue wove past them, but had more difficulty than with Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan. Kiyo made sure to conceal the full direction of his attacks until he struck, making it more difficult to judge them ahead of time. Tyrogue's speed still kept it ahead, but then a swift upper cut hit its chin and sent it flying. Tyrogue got to its feet, but a little more shakily. Kiyo just grinned. "Now show me what you're made of!"

"Ash, be careful!" Misty yelled up to Ash. The bluff had become practically vertical, and Ash had to resort to climbing to reach where Primeape was waiting. Pikachu clung desperately to Ash's back while anxiously eying the ground below.

"I can't give up," Ash said. He gritted his teeth and climbed upward. Primeape continued to taunt Ash, but now Primeape seemed a little uncertain. He sometimes threw rocks at Ash, but none of them hit, and Ash kept moving.

Suddenly, the cliff collapsed. Primeape was still standing on an unbroken chunk, but the part holding Ash plummeted toward the ground. Ash did not try to grab onto the remaining bluff to catch him. Instead, he focused all his attention on catching Pikachu. He sheltered Pikachu in his arms and braced for the impact, but then heard wild grunts beside him. He opened his eyes to see Primeape running down the cliff. Primeape tensed his legs, and then sprang out to grab Ash. The two crashed into the ground, Primeape cushioning Ash's fall.

Ash shakily got up. "You okay, Primeape?" he said. Primeape nodded despite his injuries, but then began to back off again. Ash prepared to follow again, but paused when his feet brushed against something. It was his hat. It had fallen to the ground after the crash. Ash picked it up and stared at it for a moment. The official promo hat for the Pokémon League. He had sent hundreds of postcards in to get it. The hat had become a symbol for him, of his dream to be a Pokémon Master.

He put the hat on his head, turned it back, and then tossed the hat to Primeape. Taken by surprise, Primeape missed the pass, and stared at the cap in confusion. "It's yours if you want it," Ash said. "My dream is to be the greatest Pokémon Master, but to be the greatest trainer I need to keep my Pokémon happy. If giving it up make things up to you at all, then it's worth it."

"You really do care about your Pokémon," Ninetales said grudgingly through Lokoko.

Ash nodded. "I like Pokémon battles," he said, "but I love Pokémon more. And I'll do anything I can to help them."

Primeape looked at the hat for a minute, and then walked up to Ash. It slammed the hat onto Ash's head, knocking him to the ground. Nevertheless, Ash smiled. He wrapped Primeape in his arms. "Welcome back, Primeape," he said.

"Prime…" Primeape just nuzzled Ash's neck in response.

Getting to their feet, they turned back to see how Kiyo's own struggle was going. Both he and Tyrogue had become worn out. Still, both remained standing, refusing to give up. "How about we finish this in one last strike?" Kiyo suggested. Tyrogue nodded in agreement. The two charged at each other, not bothering to conceal their attacks at all this time. They collided with each other, and fell to the ground.

"Kiyo!" Ash said. "Are you okay?" Kiyo struggled to get to his feet, Tyrogue mirroring him. Then Kiyo extended a trembling hand to Tyrogue. The Pokémon stared at it, but then hardened its eyes and took the hand. Together, they helped each other up.

"So, Tyrogue," Kiyo said, "willing to be partners? Together, we'll accomplish many things."

Tyrogue nodded, but then broke off when something exploded out of the cliffs. A strange, large humanoid machine stepped out of the bluff. It had exaggerated, almost comical fists and feet, along with a martial artist headband on its head. "Who are you?" Kiyo demanded.

Evil laughs answered him as three figures emerged from the top of the mech. "Prepare for trouble, no need to shout!" Jessie declared, this time wearing a martial artist outfit instead of her usual uniform.

"And make it double," James said, dressed similarly, "with a double knock-out!"

"To protect the world with a mean right hook!"

"To unite all peoples with my kick-boxer look!"

"To denounce the evil of honest fights!"

"To get lots of money, and punch out your lights!"

"Jessie!" Jessie struck a seemingly powerful fighting pose, though she didn't know a thing about martial arts.

"James!" He held his left leg up and struggled to maintain balance.

"Team Rocket, winning fights at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now," James warned, "or we'll cheat as our right!"

"Meowth, that's right!" Meowth said, ringing a boxing bell.

"Team Rocket!" Ash said angrily.

"You just don't know when to give up, do you?" Misty remarked.

"You're the ones who need to learn to give up," Jessie said.

"This time," James said, "we're stealing that Tyrogue, and Primeape too."

"Yeah!" Meowth said. "With Primeape, we'll be da new champs of da P1-Grand Prix, with all-ya-can-eat!"

"And with both of them already tired out," Jessie said triumphantly, "this will be easier than a rigged pro match!" They returned into the machine, and the mech sprung to life.

"We'll see about that!" Ash said. Primeape stepped up beside him.

"Ready for our first battle?" Kiyo asked Tyrogue. The small fighter nodded and jumped forward.

"Let's start off with a Super-Mega Punch Deluxe!" Meowth said. The robot's hands turned into fists. The machine charged forward and punched at Tyrogue and Primeape. The two Pokémon split up to dodge the blow, Tyrogue going left and Primeape going right.

"Go for it, Primeape!" Ash said. "Catch that punch with your Seismic Toss!" Primeape nodded. It dodged another punch, and then grabbed the fist on the return. The mech tried to break loose, but Primeape stood its ground.

"Come on, Meowth!" Jessie said. "Don't let that ape make monkeys of us!"

"Don't worry," Meowth said. The other fist prepared to punch Primeape.

However, the machine was suddenly knocked back by an attack from behind. "Good work, Tyrogue," Kiyo said.

"Ugh," Jessie said. "We'll have to take things to phase 2. James, switch to kicking mode."

"But Jessie," James protested, "we haven't worked out all the –"

"Just do it!" The legs tensed and then sprung upwards. The force launched the machine into the air, and Primeape had to let go.

"Here we come!" Jessie crowed triumphantly. The mech hurtled downward, its legs extended in a flying kick.

"Dodge it!" Kiyo said.

"Same with you, Primeape!" Ash said. The skilled fighters easily evaded the trajectory of the kick. With nothing to break the fall, the machine charged toward the ground.

"Abort, abort!" Meowth said desperately, waving his paws desperately.

"I told you," James said. "We never found a way to change course after launch!"

The mech crashed into the ground, burying itself up to the waist. The hands struggled to lift the body up, but broke instead under the pressure. "Uh, oh," Meowth said, as defeat rolled closer once again.

"Okay," Ash said. "Time to finish this! Primeape – use Karate Chop!"

"Tyrogue, use Jump Kick!" Kiyo commanded.

The two Pokémon charged forward. "Do something, Meowth!" Jessie demanded.

Meowth nodded and punched buttons. "We'll give 'em everything we got!" he said. Panels opened up in the top portion of the mech and fired boxing gloves like missiles. However, Primeape and Tyrogue dodged the attacks and kept moving forward.

At close range, there was nothing that Team Rocket could do but watch as the two prepared for the final blow. The two Fighting Pokémon exchanged brief nods, and then split up. Tyrogue leapt into the air, while Primeape continued to rush at the machine. The berserk pig monkey crashed straight through the metal without flinching. Team Rocket stared in mute, paralyzed horror as, almost in slow motion, Primeape burst into their command center, caught all three of them in his tightened knuckles, and shoved them into the air. Guided by Primeape's upward strike, they broke through the ceiling and began to blast into the sky.

For once though, their blast off was cut short. Tyrogue, with much more grace than the mech's awkward attempt, plunged down with its legs extended. The two opposing forces met, and Tyrogue triumphed, sending Team Rocket hurtling to the ground. Primeape and Tyrogue landed close to each other and lightly bumped their fists together. Then they turned and watched as Team Rocket shakily got to their feet.

"For once," James said stammered, "we didn't blast off."

"Maybe…we're lucky this time," Jessie said.

"I don't know," Meowth said. "It's tough enough handling the rides one way without bein' thrown right back halfway through."

Eventually, they noticed that the Twerps were still there, standing right in front of them. "If you're upset about not blasting off," Ash said, "I think we can take care of that. Pikachu?"

Pikachu chirped in agreement. Faint sparks built on his cheeks before suddenly flashing forward. With Team Rocket only a few feet away by that point, they were airborne in seconds.

"You know, Jessie," James said, pounding his hands together as something occurred to him, "I think I know the solution to our problem. We just have to avoid going up to begin with."

"Great going," Meowth said sarcastically. "When you figure out how to stop that, let me know."

"Why don't we just focus on making the best of the landings?" Jessie suggested. "In any case, it doesn't matter, because we're blasting off again!"

Back on the ground, Ash and Kiyo approached their Pokémon. "Nice job, Tyrogue," Kiyo said. "So, are you willing to come with me?" Tyrogue nodded, but then hesitated. It turned to Primeape questioningly. Primeape stepped forward, and patted Tyrogue on the shoulder. Tyrogue bowed to Primeape, and then turned to join Kiyo.

"I get it," Brock said. "That's why Primeape was with Tyrogue."

"What do you mean?" Misty said.

"Primeape's been training Tyrogue," he explained. "Primeape wants Tyrogue to be its successor at the P1 Grand Prix, and now it thinks that both Kiyo and Tyrogue are ready for the next step."

"Thank you," Kiyo told Primeape. He bowed before the P1 champion. "I won't let you down."

Primeape nodded and turned to Ash. "So," Ash said, stumbling for words. "Do you want to come with us again, Primeape? I don't really know much about martial arts, but I can learn more. And together we can win at the Pokémon League. What do you say?" He offered his hand.

Primeape carefully took Ash's hand, but then suddenly slammed Ash to the ground.

"What?" Misty said in shock. She thought things were finally working out between the two of them.

Ash tried to get to his feet, but Primeape stopped him and began to gesture impatiently. Slowly, the meaning became clear. "You want me to do sit-ups?" Ash said, baffled. Primeape nodded, not taking no for an answer, and was already getting Ash set for warm-ups.

"I guess Primeape wants to train Ash now," Brock said.

"I suppose that is one way to keep your trainer in line," Lokoko said as she hid her giggles behind her long sleeves.

"Makes you wonder who's really the trainer," Misty commented wryly.

Ash just grunted as he struggled to break out of Primeape's hold. He stared at Pikachu, but the yellow mouse just shrugged, knowing better than to get in the way of the determined trainer. Primeape continued to have Ash do push-ups, all the while standing on his back. His trainer's training had only just begun.

Author's Note- Now some of you may wish to point out that I made a couple of splits from canon here, and I wish to address both. First, the reference to Ash reuniting with Pidgeot. I know that there never was such an episode. However, keep in mind that the show only covers part of Ash's adventures. It took the party two weeks two get from Cerulean to Vermillion, and the episodes only cover a little over half that time. There is a lot of open space for interpretation, as I am doing in this case. It's plausible that Ash could have met up with Pidgeot again when returning from the Orange Islands, only Pidgeot continued to stay with its new flock. It would have been better to have an actual episode of the reunion, but there's nothing contradicting it either.

Primeape, on the other hand, is a more serious matter. He never appeared in the episode I'm basing this on. I know that; I'm just choosing to alter canon in this case. Don't worry, I intend to adhere to the anime canon as much as possible. Most of the time, I'm going to consider how the canon would naturally change with the new events and characters. However, if push comes to shove in small cases like this, I am going to set canon aside and make my own story.

I have two reasons for this. First, doing so gives me the freedom to explore new ideas within plots that have already been done in the canon, and make the results into something unique. Take for instance this episode. I know that Tyrogue is canonically helped by a wild Mankey and Primeape. But let us see what happens if we replace those two with another, familiar Primeape. The entire focus of the episode shifts in a new, interesting direction.

Second, there is a deeper reason I plan to shift around canon some: unlike in the canon, I have an endgame in mind. I like how long the anime has lasted, with Ash's adventures never ending, but I've also noticed the downsides. Ash is never able to fully develop as a character, and moves forward are always reversed, so that the story can continue to move on with no destination. I, on the other hand, have a specific end already in mind for this story. It may take several seasons, if I can get that far, but there will be an end. Some discarded points from canon may become active, and old prophecies accelerated. I don't know whether I will live long enough to write the finale, but, like Ash, I will keep moving forward to that final destination, the end of my journey.

So sit back, and get ready. This is going to be a blast.


	3. Episode 2: Evolution Confusion

57

I do not own Pokémon, and take no credit for this endeavor. A thanks to Ri2 for his beta work and advice.

Episode II: Evolution Confusion

"Hup two, hup two!" Ash panted as he ran ahead of the group through the forest.

"Wait up, Ash!" Misty called. "Don't get too carried away."

"Me carried away?" Ash noted pointedly. In his opinion, Primeape, currently standing on his back, was the one carried away. He had just recaptured Primeape a few days ago, and the P1 Champion was already working to get his new protégé in shape, whether he liked or not.

Primeape hopped off Ash's back for a brief rest, leaving the wearied "trainer" to collapse in a heap. Despite his exhaustion, Ash was in high spirits. "After we get to Mahogany Town, it'll be just one more badge to go."

"The trouble is getting there," Brock said, glancing up from the map to examine a particular tree. "I think we passed this same spot a couple hours ago."

Misty groaned. "Meaning we're lost again," she concluded.

"Does this happen often?" Lokoko said.

"Whenever Ash decides to blaze the trail," Misty said dryly.

"Hey!" Ash said, jumping to his feet indignantly. "I always know where I'm going. Isn't that right, Pikachu?" Ash turned to his friend for affirmation, but paused when there was no answer. "Pikachu?"

Brock looked around, and then pointed to the trail behind them. "Back there!" With Primeape keeping Ash busy, Pikachu had taken to walking around on his own. However, he was now lying in the middle of the trail, unable to stand up.

"Pikachu!" Ash ran over and cradled him in his arms. "What's wrong?"

"Pika…" Pikachu just moaned in response.

"Hey," Misty said, "something's wrong with Togepi too." Sure enough, the little egg Pokémon was drooping, too weak to even cry. "She doesn't feel feverish though," Misty said. "What do you think, Brock?" However, Brock had noticed something else. Pokémon were crawling out from the bushes. Misty froze when she saw Bug-type Pokémon, but then noticed that they were hardly in the mood to fight. Indeed, all of the Pokémon, from Rattata to Oddish, looked sick.

"Something strange is going on," Brock said. "It looks like all the Pokémon in the forest are getting sick."

"That's odd," Lokoko said. "I haven't felt anything."

"You're right," Brock noted. "And from the looks of it, Primeape's doing fine too." The martial artist was currently performing experimental kicks and punches against an imaginary foe. "Still, why are so many others affected?"

Their conversation was cut off when a loud, anguished roar bellowed past the trees. "What was that?" Misty said.

Ninetales' ears flicked, and Lokoko pointed to the right. "It's coming from past the trees there," she said.

"Let's go see," Ash said. He rushed forward, followed by Brock and the others. The noise led them out of the forest into a clearing beside a large lake. "Whoa, that's a big lake!" Ash said.

"I believe this is the Lake of Rage," Lokoko said. "Though I am surprised that we haven't seen any buildings yet; there should be settlements across the lake." She scanned the lakeshore in puzzlement; the only notable structure was some metal building toward the southern edge, nothing significant enough for an entire town.

"No one lives at the lake anymore," Brock told her. "Mahogany Town is still a couple of miles south."

"Oh," Lokoko said. She lowered her head. "I did not know that. I'm sorry; I thought the shortcut would save us time by taking us straight toward the lake."

"That's okay," Brock said. "Besides, I'm curious about what's going on here. Something isn't right." He turned to Misty, but saw the Water-type gym leader was staring at the lake. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Something's moving in the water," Misty answered. "And something big, at that."

Suddenly, something huge burst out of the water. As the waves cleared, they could see a massive, armored, serpentine fish – a Gyarados, one of the fiercest Water Pokémon. But instead of being blue like most of its species, it was bright red. To the party's relief, the Gyarados did not appear to actually be interested in them. Instead, it thrashed wildly in pain.

"I've never seen a red Gyarados before," Misty said. She stared up at the Pokémon tensely. Gyarados were notorious for their destructive nature, and she feared them more than Bug Pokémon.

"Maybe it's red because it's angry," Ash suggested.

"I doubt it," Brock said. He turned to Lokoko.

"Can you find out what's wrong with it?"

"I'm sorry," Lokoko apologized, "but it's in too much pain now to give an answer. All that I can hear are occasional words like 'Aaagh!' or 'The pain!' or 'Magikarp…?'"

"In any case," Misty advised, already beginning to back away, "let's keep our distance." Her fears were confirmed when the Gyarados shot a Hydro Pump from its mouth. The attack was simply random, but came too close for comfort.

They turned to retreat into the forest, but stopped when a group of uniformed men blocked the path. "Hold it," said the leader. Unlike the others, he wore no hat to hold down his slightly spiky hair. "I regret to inform you that since you have actually _seen_ this supposed Red Gyarados, you can't leave."

"Hey," Ash exclaimed, seeing a bright red 'R' on their uniforms, "you're Team Rocket!"

"Team Rocket?" Lokoko said in confusion. "They don't look silly enough to be in that group."

"Don't let Jessie, James, and Meowth make you underestimate the team," Brock warned her. "Those three may be low in the totem pole, but the organization and its leader, Giovanni, are not to take lightly. They have agents all over the globe to steal Pokémon and conduct illegal research."

"So you know about us," the lead Rocket noted. "Just another reason why I wouldn't dream of letting you leave." He drew a Pokeball out of his coat and threw it. "Go, Fearow!"

"If that's how you want it," Ash said, "then bring it on!" He threw a Pokeball to release Totodile. The crocodile Pokémon danced around happily, but then suddenly slumped.

"Totodile must be affected too!" Misty said.

"Fortunately," Lokoko said, "we still have Pokémon that can fight. Ninetales stepped forward along with Primeape.

The Rocket leader snarled in frustration. "Looks like we'll need a little more work to take care of you," he said. He threw another ball to release a second Pokeball. He exchanged a quick glance with his men, and then gestured to the Fearows. "Drill Peck!" The two Fearows flew in to attack their respective targets. Both Ninetales and Primeape dodged.

Ash prepared to order Primeape to attack, but then realized the trap. While the Pokémon were busy fighting it out, the Rocket grunts were moving into position to surround the party. Noticing the danger, Primeape and Ninetales tried to pull off, but the Fearows blocked their path.

"Heh," the leader said smugly. "Kids like you should learn that life doesn't go by the rules. Get them!" The grunts rushed in to subdue the team.

Suddenly, a whirlwind blew down from above and scattered the grunts surrounding the party. On seeing this, the Fearows faltered, giving Primeape and Ninetales enough time to slip past their blockade. The two sides then looked up at the sky as a Dragonite descended.

A spiky red-haired man, wearing a black and red vest, quickly jumped off Dragonite. "Hey, you kids," he said urgently to the party. "Turn and run back into the woods. Hurry!" The party exchanged a look, and then nodded to each other. They broke into a dash and returned to the forest. Ash glanced behind for a moment and saw the Dragon trainer standing boldly between them and Team Rocket. Who was he?

After they were a safe distance within the forest, they stopped to rest. "What's Team Rocket doing all the way out here?" Misty pondered in concern. Nothing good ever came from the presence of the larger Team Rocket organization, and they always had some heinous goal in mind.

"And who was that trainer?" Lokoko asked. "He must have been strong to tame a Dragon."

"Actually," Brock muttered, "I think I've seen him before."

"Really?" Misty said. "I don't recall meeting him."

"Not like that," Brock said. "I just have this feeling that I should know him somehow."

"Well," Lokoko said, "we can ask him now." Ninetales looked up through the trees as the Dragonite and its trainer carefully landed.

Ash eagerly stepped forward. "Thanks a lot for helping us back there," he said. "That was really cool." Pikachu chimed in agreement; Ash smiled on seeing that his buddy's strength seemed to have returned.

"So tell me," the red-haired man said, "how did you guys end up wandering in the forest?"

"We were on our way to Mahogany Town," Ash said.

"And we got lost again," Misty said wryly, "as usual."

"Hey," Ash retorted, "we had good directions this time. It's not our fault that everyone moved south from the lake."

The man frowned slightly at this. "Mahogany Town has been in its present location for many years. You must have been confused by the old rumors of ninjas living up on the lake."

"They were not rumors," Lokoko said indignantly. "My master was good friends with –"

"Anyway," Brock quickly cut in, "we were just as surprised to see you all the way out here."

"Actually," Misty said as something occurred to her, "I think I know how you recognized him, Brock. Isn't your name Lance?"

Ash and Brock jolted in realization. "That's right," Brock said. "You're the undisputed Champion of the Elite 4!"

"Yeah!" Ash agreed, looking at Lance in admiration. "The totally unbeatable Dragon-type trainer who singlehandedly won the Indigo League for three years straight!"

Lance chuckled lightly at that as his spirits returned. "I'm not sure about the 'totally' part," he answered, "but I am Lance. I guess you've heard of me."

"Have I?!" Ash said. "I remember seeing you win that last tournament on T.V.; it was the first time I ever saw a Pokémon battle. That's when I decided I was going to become the world's greatest Pokémon Master."

"Well," Lance said, "it will take you a lot of work to reach that point. You need determination and strength, and the heart of dragon."

"No sweat," Ash said. "I'm going to win the Johto League for sure!"

Lance grinned. "You certainly have the heart," he noted.

"Excuse me," Lokoko said to Brock. "What is the 'Elite 4'?"

"They're a group of Champion-level Pokémon trainers," Brock said, "each having proven their worth by not only winning a region-level tournament but also defeating a member of the current Elite 4. And to become the Champion of the Elite 4, you have to defeat all of the current members, consecutively."

"That's right," Ash said. "For Pokémon trainers, the Elites are what we all dream of becoming. Someone who has mastered the art of battling."

"It's more than that," Brock reminded Ash. "The Elites are also supposed to be protectors of the Pokémon world, guiding trainers to greater heights and safeguarding the hidden treasures of the world."

"Oh, like the Guardians," Lokoko said brightly. "High-level warriors who have united to defend against threats that go beyond borders of kingdoms and politics, each a hero in his own right."

"You could say that," Lance said. He looked at her strangely. "But the Guardians are an entirely different branch now. The Pokémon G-Men, sent out to investigate and resolve dangers to both humans and Pokémon."

"Is that why you're here?" Ash said. Lance froze at that.

"We saw what is happening to the Pokémon around here," Misty said. "Is Team Rocket behind this?"

"I haven't confirmed it yet," Lance said, "but that's my hunch. And the Red Gyarados you guys saw must be at the heart of it."

He turned to go, but stopped when Ash said, "We'll help you out!"

"What?" Lance said.

"It would be so awesome to work alongside you," Ash said. He pumped his fists eagerly. "Can we please help you solve this?"

Brock sighed lightly. He was sure that they could be of some use – after all, they had thwarted a number of Team Rocket schemes in the past – but Ash's fan-worship of Lance was making him sound too hyper, too naïve.

Sure enough, Lance shook his head. "No way," he said. "This forest is dangerous with lots of twists and turns, and I can't afford to look after you." Brock noted that Lance was diverting the topic. The forest was not as dangerous as he made it seem, not in its current state. In fact, he had completely dropped mention of Team Rocket.

Lance pointed behind them to a trail poking through the woods. "I must insist you follow this path. "It will take you straight to Mahogany Town."

"But," Ash protested.

"No," Lance said. "It's too dangerous."

Misty put a hand on Ash's shoulder. "He's right Ash," she said. "This kind of work is Lance's job. We should leave things up to him."

"Fine," Ash said. His earlier energy vanished as he followed Misty's lead and turned toward the path.

As the party walked away, Ninetales stole a glance back at Lance. They were making the right decision, she knew. It was too dangerous for them to risk everything for a wild Gyarados. Still, she wondered.

"I apologize for the failure again, Professor Sebastian," Commander Tyson said as he saluted. He had returned to Team Rocket's current headquarters, once again empty-handed.

The scientist calmly adjusted his glasses and turned away from the large screens on the wall to face Tyson. Various displays and charts played on the screen, along with a map of the lake. The red dot, their quarry, was now at the center of the lake now, out of range again. "That is perfectly acceptable," Sebastian said smoothly. "You at least kept the interlopers from prying too deeply into our project here. As for the Red Gyarados, it cannot be captured from on shore. It would naturally have the advantage, being able to strike at will while remaining out of our range. We must draw it out and capture it in the heart of the lake, when it is unprepared."

Tyson frowned. "That will be tricky," he mused. "We'll need something to lure it out."

"No matter," Sebastian said. "I have confidence in your abilities, Commander."

Tyson saluted. "Thank you, Sir!

"I have to say, Professor," he continued, "you have really outdone yourself with this project. The evolution radio is a complete success." He was glad he was assigned to guard this operation rather than serve under another scientist like Namba; that man was notoriously pigheaded and forgetful. Sebastian, on the other hand, was the model of Team Rocket perfection. Calm and calculating, he never lost his temper. Of course, he still had that patronizing sense of always being right, but Tyson had to grudgingly admit that that was because the professor was always right. It was through people like this, with that sense of dedication, that Team Rocket could reach its full potential. As was clear with Project R.

"I admire your optimism," Professor Sebastian said, "but we still need to perfect the radio wave and determine the most potent frequency."

"Which is why we need that Gyarados," Tyson said. The question was how to best capture it.

His thoughts were set aside as a grunt rushed in. "Sir!" the soldier reported. "We've detected intruders in the base!" What? Not more problems. The technicians quickly brought the security footage up on to the screens. There was no sign of the intruders, but the hole blasted in the wall made their presence clear.

"What happened to them?" he demanded.

"They passed through our initial cameras," a technician reported, "but we've lost sight of them."

"Well, then find them," he ordered. "They have to be around here somewhere."

"Closer than you think, so prepare for trouble!" a voice cut in from above. Tyson looked up to see a young man and woman – along with a Meowth, jump down from the ceiling in front of the video screen.

"And we're hungry, so make it double!" The two trainers began to give some nonsensical rant, and Tyson nearly attacked them on the spot. But on catching Sebastian's gestures, he got a better idea. As the three idiots continued, his men slowly encircled them.

Finally, just as the Meowth spoke, Sebastian shut down the screen behind them, bringing them to their senses. The grunts quickly moved in and captured them. "All right," Tyson said. "What are you doing in our base?"

"We're claiming it, in the name of Team Rocket!" the red-haired woman said defiantly.

Tyson's next question fell through as he mentally backtracked through her declaration. "Team Rocket?!" he said, not sure what to think of such a statement. "This is already a Team Rocket base, in case you didn't notice. And just who are you to know about us?"

"Sir," a grunt said, "I have their files here."

Tyson walked over the computer and looked. So, they really were part of Team Rocket after all. Jessie, James, and a Meowth. Top-ranked agents who, in the course of but a few years, had somehow become even lower rank than a standard grunt. But, he noted, they did have some useful traits. According to the records, they were notoriously hardy, and had the devil's own luck at surviving near-death experiences. And they were loyal to the organization to a fault, willing to do anything for a piece of glory and some food in their tummies. He smiled. Perfect.

"Well," he told them, "your status as members of Team Rocket has been confirmed. Welcome, then, to our base."

"Eh, sorry about the whole thing before," the Meowth said.

"No problem," Tyson said. "Now, the three of you look like you have real guts, just what we need in Team Rocket. In fact, I think I have the perfect job for you, one that will secure Project R's success." The three brightened eagerly. "Let's discuss this after a nice meal," Tyson suggested. Inwardly, he smirked. It looked like he didn't need to worry about finding bait anymore.

"Mahogany Town should be right around the bend," Brock said. They had left the forest and, following Lance's route, taken a path down the river fed from Lake Rage.

"I'm interested in seeing what the new city is like," Lokoko said.

Misty nodded. In any case, it would be good to rest at a Pokémon Center once more. She turned to speak to Ash, but saw that he had stopped walking. "Is something bothering you, Ash?" she said. Usually, he would be excited to be so close to his next gym battle.

"I…have to go back," Ash said.

"Go back?" Lokoko said. "Where?"

Energy returning, Ash leapt to his feet. "To Lake Rage!" he said. "I have to do something!"

"You can't!" Misty said. "Lance said it was too dangerous."

"I just have to find some way to help that Gyarados," Ash said stubbornly.

"That Gyarados is fine," Misty said. "Lance will take care of it." Not that a Gyarados would need any protection, she knew. The sea-dragons were notorious for their intense power, and temperaments to match. Entire ships had been torn to pieces by Gyaradoses, and even cities unfortunate to rest in its path. She shivered. No, best to leave that Gyarados be, and move on to some place safer.

"But it was in a lot of pain," Ash said. "Can't you see? I can't let that go. And what about the other Pokémon, too? All of them are in trouble because of Team Rocket."

"He has a point," Brock pointed out. "Team Rocket must be after more than just that Gyarados. If we don't stop them, they'll keep hurting Pokémon for their experiments." He glanced to Misty. "Including your Togepi."

"You're right," Misty admitted. She clutched her precious child close. Still, she didn't want to have to deal with that Gyarados.

"But why was I not affected, or Primeape, or Dragonite?" Lokoko pointed out. "What is it that made all those Pokémon ill, but left many others unharmed?"

"I don't know," Ash said, "but that doesn't matter. I won't let them hurt Gyarados."

Misty recognized that voice. Ash always had it whenever he became determined to help anyone in trouble. Her expression lightened. That was Ash, all right. Always wanting to save whoever he came across. It didn't matter whether he was trying to help a little kid or an enraged Primeape. He believed in them, and never gave up. She pushed her fear back, for the moment. "Okay," she said. "We can follow the river straight up to the lake."

"Hold on," Brock warned. "Team Rocket isn't going to just sit around. As soon as we try anything, they'll try to stop us. We need to come up with a plan that lets us help Gyarados without being caught ourselves."

"Actually," Lokoko said, "I may have an idea."

"Good work," Tyson told the three "agents" as they lay panting on the boat's deck. "I guess you have some guts in you after all." The three just glared weakly at them, still a little upset at being used as bait. Even so, it was worth it, he noted, as he looked at the net behind the boat. At last, that pesky Red Gyarados was Team Rocket's. Now his day was finally looking up.

It had been an aggravating day before that – first those kids, and that G-Man, and then the three bumbling Rocket "agents" who tried to break into one of their own bases. But now things were running smoothly. As expected, the three buffoons had bravely dived down to capture the Gyarados – only to make a hasty retreat back to the surface, with the predator right behind them. Focused on the hapless fools, the Gyarados did not notice the net coming at it until it was too late. The shock volts into the net had stunned the Gyarados, and even if it had the strength to fight, the net could withstand even a Steelix.

"You…could have been a little more careful," James muttered as he gasped for breath. "

We almost got caught too, ya know!" Meowth said.

Tyson smirked. "I know," he said. "I thought that was reasonable use for disposable resources." He turned to reenter the bridge, passing by a red-haired grunt. Something was off about him, but all the grunts were alike really. "Capture is complete, so let's return to headquarters while the Gyarados is immobilized."

"Yes, sir," the piloting grunt said. The boat turned around to go back to the dock.

Suddenly, the horizon turned white, and all sight of land vanished. "What's going on?" Tyson demanded.

"I don't know!" the pilot said. "The fog just came out of nowhere!"

"Stop the boat," he ordered. "We can't risk running into something while we're pulling in the target." He walked out of the bridge to get a better look outside. "Don't let your guard down," he warned. "Something is fishy about this whole thing."

"Hey," James said. He pointed out into the mist.

"I think I see something." Tyson narrowed his eyes. The idiot was right for a change. Something large seemed to be coming closer in the fog. But what? Most of the Water Pokémon in the lake were of the smaller variety. You didn't get larger ones until you got sea-bound, except with evolutions like Magikarp to…

He stiffened as an unsettling thought occurred to him. "Battle stations," he barked. "Get your weapons ready, and prepare to take evasive action."

"Battle stations?" Meowth said. "Whaddya mean? With the Gyarados down for the count, it's in the bag." The feline Pokémon suddenly froze when he noticed a pair of large, glowing red eyes behind him in the water. The figure emerged from the fog and coalesced into the Red Gyarados.

"It's the Gyarados!" Jessie said.

"How the heck did it get out?" Meowth said.

James, surprisingly, was not looking at the fierce Pokémon, but was gazing off in a different direction. "I think we should prepare for trouble," he said shakily, "and I think more than double." He pointed to another section of the fog, where an equally large, red, and angry Gyarados burst out from the mist. One by one, more Gyaradoses appeared around the ship, until there were six in total. Jessie, James, and Meowth huddled together in fear. "What's going on?" James said.

"Every Magikarp in the lake must have evolved!" Meowth said.

"Impossible," Tyson said.

"Who cares?" Jessie said. "Just open fire before they all tear us to bits!" At Jessie's cue, the grunts all began wildly firing shots at the Gyaradoses, with little effect. The Gyaradoses in turn fired Hyper Beams and Hydro, just narrowly passing over the boat with each shot.

Panicking, many of the less-trained grunts abandoned their attacks and dived to the floor – including, he noted, the three recent tag-alongs. "It's no good!" Meowth said. "You made dese Pokémon too strong!"

"Shut up," Tyson said. He turned to Sebastian, who was examining the scene carefully. "Doctor," he said, "what's your analysis of the situation?"

"The arrangement is off," the doctor said casually.

"What are you talking about?" Tyson said.

Sebastian gestured with his hand. "Although they appear to have surrounded us in a perfect circle, you can see that one side is closer than the others."

"So?" Tyson said, growing impatient.

"And it is remarkable that none of the attacks against us have hit yet," Sebastian continued. "By my calculations then…" He then pointed his arm toward the far shore. "Commander. When I tell you, focus all attacks on the shore."

"Fine," he said. "Men, ready to fire on my command."

Sebastian paused for a moment, and then nodded. "Now."

"Open fire!" Tyson said. The shots rushed past the Gyaradoses and the mist, and suddenly there was an explosion in the distance.

Almost instantly, the fog and the multiple red Gyaradoses disappeared. "What's going on?" Jessie said, looking around in confusion.

"It was an illusion to distract us," Sebastian explained. "With the perpetrator injured, the illusions vanished. Now we can concentrate on the true threat."

Tyson gazed out, and saw that the Red Gyarados was still caught, but the net was being torn away by several children, the same ones from before. "Meddlesome kids," he muttered.

"I think you can handle the situation now, Commander," Sebastian said. "If you will excuse me, I am most interested in seeing what sort of Pokémon could create such a realistic display."

Tyson curtly nodded. The professor walked past him to take a small escort and a shuttle boat. Tyson turned on his radio back to headquarters. "All right," he said. "No more messing around. Activate the Evolutionary Radio now." A grunt behind him muttered something, but he paid no attention to the grunt. Time to show those kids not to toy with adults.

Ash's eyes widened as the illusion faded. "Brock!" he yelled, starting to paddle toward shore.

Misty grabbed his arm. "We can't worry about him right now!" she said as she continued to pull at the net. "We don't have much more time left." However, not even Primeape, trying his hardest despite disliking his fur getting soaked, could not tear open the steel-hard bindings.

Then Ash got an idea. "Bayleef!" he shouted. "Use Razor Leaf!" Bayleef, doggy-paddling in the water, nodded and flicked her head to release the leaves. The leaf blades ripped against the net, only to bounce off.

"That won't work," Misty said. "We need a different strategy."

Ash thought for a moment, then brightened. "I know!" he said. He released Cyndaquil on top of Corsola to keep it out of the water. "Use Flamethrower to loosen the metal!" he ordered. Cyndaquil complied and shot a blast of fire from its mouth. "Good work," Ash said as he recalled Cyndaquil. "Everyone, use Water attacks!"

Misty nodded, realizing Ash's plan. First superheat the metal, then cool it down, and then… After the water receded, Ash gestured to Bayleef. "Razor Leaf, one more time!" Bayleef whipped her head and flung another barrage of leaves at the net. They bounced off again, but now the net was starting to show signs of wear. "Now hurry!" he said. "We can pull apart the rope now!"

Misty gestured to Staryu to start cutting away. Likewise, Primeape began to pull once more, this time with more effect. However, most of the net remained strong. Out of the corner of her eye though, she spotted a small piece of the net that looked weaker than the other parts. And it would take just one hole to unravel the whole mesh. She moved closer to pull the rip apart with her hands, but froze. Gyarados' head was right in front of the tear, its gargantuan, sharp fangs glistening in the water.

"Misty!" Ash yelled desperately. "Come on! They're almost here!" Misty nodded absently, though it was partially from her uncontrollable trembling. She tentatively nudged her hand forward, but then Gyarados looked at her, and her mind went back to when she was a little girl, and wandered into the mouth of a sleeping Gyarados. The Gyarados opened its mouth slightly, and she could see it rushing forward to swallow her whole. Before she realized what she was doing, she had let go of the net and backed off.

Then the humming started. Strangely, it seemed familiar. Now that she thought of it, she heard something similar when they were walking through the forest. Only then, it was so soft that she didn't really acknowledge it. Right now, though, the sound seemed stronger. She had little time to contemplate this, as a metal bar lashed against her back. The steel bent to form a hoop, locking her arms in place. She started to sink, only held up the chain linking the hoop to a patrol boat.

Standing at the bow of the boat, the Rocket commander from before smirked. "Well, I have to give you kids credit for one thing," he said. "You're persistent. But you've gotten in the way too much for my taste. So from now on, consider yourselves our permanent guests."

"This isn't over!" Ash shouted.

"Oh, not quite," Tyson admitted. "But I doubt your little friend on the shore can last much longer either."

Misty twisted her head and gazed at the charred shoreline in horror. _Oh no, Brock…_

Ninetales moaned in pain at the bottom of the crater on shore. She tried to get to her feet, but fell down again and again. "Lokoko!" Brock said. "Are you all right?"

Her human image flickered back and forth. "Sorry," she said softly. "I…didn't think they'd…see me."

"Don't worry," he said. "I'll have you better in no time."

"But there is…no time," she said. "They're…coming." Sure enough, a small boat was approaching, loaded with Rocket grunts, along with someone else in the back.

Brock grabbed a Pokeball from his belt. "They'll have to get through me first," he said. As he talked, he tried to conceal his wince. Lokoko had taken the brunt of the attack, but Brock had been injured as well. His Pokémon were still safe inside their Pokeballs, but with so many Rockets coming, victory was far from certain.

"Brock," she said.

"What?" he asked.

"Thank you, for showing me this world. It was nice to see more of the world around me. Even if I must wait another 200 years for freedom again, it was worth it."

"It's not over yet," Brock promised.

Lokoko ignored him. "That's why I won't let you suffer the same fate that curses me."

"What?" Brock stopped in confusion, then suddenly tensed. "Wait. Ninetales – Lokoko! – don't –"

"Goodbye, Brock." With those words, Lokoko's image vanished, and was replaced by a wave of Psychic energy. With the last of her strength, Ninetales lifted Brock into the air, and sent him flying off into the woods.

"Lokoko!" he yelled, but she did not relent. She pushed him farther and farther away, until her will broke and she collapsed. Vaguely, she saw Rockets approach her, along with a man with glasses. His look of cold, triumphant discernment chilled her with fear, and she was glad for the world to fade to black.

Disguised as a common grunt, Lance merged with the mass of Rocket soldiers as they returned triumphantly to headquarters. Behind them, Tyson pushed Ash and Misty, along with Pikachu, Togepi, and Primeape, forward. "Keep moving!" he ordered. Seeing that Pikachu and Togepi were struggling with exhaustion, he kicked them ahead. "I said, don't stop!"

"Leave Pikachu alone!" Ash yelled futilely. Primeape grunted in agreement; if not for the firm bindings over his arms, and the many grunts standing by, he might have hurled Tyson clear to the moon."

"And don't mess with my Togepi!" Misty warned.

"Or what?" Tyson taunted him. "Even if you could fight, your Pokémon don't stand a chance against our Evolution Inducement Wave."

"Your what?" Ash said. Lance silently mouthed the same question, hoping that the commander would finally reveal just what the team was up to here.

With victory all but assured, Tyson saw no reason to hold back. "It's a special technology we've developed to make Pokémon evolve."

Misty jolted. "That's why Togepi, Pikachu, and the others were sick. They were being forced to evolve, only their bodies were resisting."

Tyson grunted in frustration. "Yeah," he admitted, "we still have some kinks to work out with the radio. But now that we have a success case in our hands, things will finally go smoothly."

Lance stiffened in realization. Of course! Gyarados weren't naturally red – but their predecessors, Magikarp, certainly were. But why was the Gyarados still in pain after evolving? An unpleasant thought came to him. No, certainly even Team Rocket was not that foolish.

"Anyway," Tyson said, "that's for us to deal with. Your part in this experiment is over. We'll collect your Pokemon once we're finished with the rest of the project" Grunts dragged the two along with their Pokemon away toward the holding cells.

Lance joined the troops marching inside, and then quickly slipped into a side passage of the cargo facility. He finally saw what Team Rocket wanted. Many high-level Pokémon were notably rare, even when their lower evolutions were common. The reason for this was that evolution was often easier said than done. It took considerable effort to evolve a Pokémon up even once, both hard work and a strong bond. Then there were the odd cases that required something more, like a stone or a special condition.

If Team Rocket had a universal tool to evolve Pokémon – its effects on a Pikachu dependent on a Thunder Stone proved it even ignored special barriers – then they could raise up a terrible army of elite-level Pokémon with minimal work on their part. The radio needed to be stopped at all costs. Especially since he had an uneasy feeling about the Red Gyarados. If his hunch was correct, then Team Rocket was willfully sitting on a time bomb.

But he couldn't break his cover yet, not with the entire garrison present. No, best to wait for them to move out with the Gyarados. Then he could double back to the base and, with defenses minimalized, destroy it and the radio tower. The team was preparing to take the Gyarados to a safe house in Mahogany Town, so he could have the police ready to ambush them once they entered the city. Then he could down two birds with one stone.

Still, he felt uncomfortable about the plan for some reason. Perhaps it was those children. He was frustrated that the two had disobeyed his orders and gotten involved. But, he could no longer dismiss them. The young trainers had shown great ingenuity in their rescue attempt, and nearly freed Gyarados. But their recklessness hindered them, and made them easy targets.

He paused in his thoughts as something occurred to him. Reckless. When did he start seeing that as simply a burden? Back in the day, when he was still forging his path to the Plateau, he burned deep with that spirit, and used it to reach greater heights. From sneaking into the Dragon's Den before his official initiation to pushing through the ruins of Victory Road, he had plenty moments of recklessness. Then, over time, he had to accept the responsibilities that came with his ascendance as a trainer. As a Dragon Master, as an Elite, as a G-Man, he had many lives depending on his actions. He could no longer test the odds, and risk destroying everything he had worked so hard for.

The black-haired trainer, Ash, reminded Lance a lot of himself at that age – young, impetuous, and naïve about the world. Those traits would only get him into trouble. But, Lance had to admit, perhaps he lost something when he left that side of him behind. He was a Dragon Master, one who knew the hearts of Dragons better than any other. Yet Ash was the one who heard Gyarados' cry of pain, still audible in the cold facility, and refused to close his ears.

Professor Sebastian gazed at Ninetales from the other side of the bars. "Very interesting," he mused. "By my calculations, you were able to project nearly a mile-diameter illusion. Not only that, but segment your illusions, making each piece function independently and fluidly. You are hardly a normal Ninetales, are you?" Lokoko remained silent. She was afraid that if she spoke but one word, her fate would become even worse.

Hard, regimented footsteps heralded Tyson's arrival. "We locked those kids up in a different part of the base," he said. "They won't be bothering us again."

"Good," Sebastian said.

Tyson turned his gaze to the Ninetales. "Who'd have thought such a prim little Pokémon would nearly turn the tables on us?" he said. "Are you sure you don't want us to knock her out?"

"No," Sebastian said sharply. "And keep the radio at low frequency as well. We need to handle this specimen carefully. Precision is the key."

Tyson shrugged. "Well," he said, "you're the one who knows these things. You're sure it won't break out?"

"Not to worry," Sebastian said. The field I have placed it in was designed to mute Psychic powers. Besides, unlike the Gyarados, this one has accepted its fate."

"What do you mean?" Tyson asked.

"You would not know, not having to deal with dozens of subjects for experiments," Sebastian said, "but over time, you notice how they adjust to their lack of freedom. Some rage futilely like the Gyarados. Others, however, realize that even resisting their fate is hopeless. They learn that they will never be free."

Ninetales stared out the bars, feeling that familiar sense of loss once more. Never free, only left behind.

"Interesting," Tyson said. "Anyway, we should have the transport for the Gyarados ready by tomorrow. And I got a report that your personal shuttle is en route."

"Good," Sebastian said. He followed Tyson away from the cell, leaving Lokoko alone in the darkness again.

_Brock…_

It was morning now, and the sun shone across the lake. Tyson watched the sunrise, not for the scenery but rather for the helicopters descending from the sky. Grunts waved the transports into the hastily-made landing locations. Originally, the only launch pad was in a separate holding station to the south, but after Sebastian ordered his private shuttle to come for the Ninetales, they had to make landing zones for it. At that point, Tyson decided it would be just simpler to have the main helicopters come here as well, and transport the Gyarados all the way.

"The Gyarados is secured, sir," Tyson said.

"Excellent," Sebastian said. "I am taking the Ninetales north to my laboratory for further research. Ensure that the Gyarados specimen is safely transported to the rendezvous point in my absence."

"Professor," Tyson broached, "are you sure that you want to transport the Ninetales alone? At least let me send you a small escort for your safety; we still have two trainers at large."

Sebastian shook his head. "My shuttle is made for efficiency, and only has enough room for the specimens and the pilot. But not to worry. Should anything happen, I will have contingencies to handle the situation."

Tyson reluctantly nodded. "Focus on your own mission," Sebastian continued. "The Ninetales is potentially a future experiment, but the Red Gyarados marks the triumph of a project we have already worked long and hard on. I am counting on you to make sure nothing goes wrong, when we are so close."

Tyson straightened and saluted. "Yes sir!" he said. Satisfied, Sebastian calmly walked to his shuttle and entered. After seeing the professor go, Tyson turned back to his men. "All right, you heard him. Move out!" The grunts saluted. Some of them marched to the helicopters, while others prepared to take the road to the checkpoint station and close it down. They would then follow the river toward the town, providing ground cover for the helicopters.

He was still a little anxious, two of the earlier troublemakers still at large, but he pushed those fears aside. Two trainers couldn't take on Team Rocket's full might. Still, he was glad that they were moving out immediately. The sooner he could deposit the Gyarados in Mahogany, the better.

Brock watched the helicopters lift off, the Gyarados held in the large net below them. However, he kept his eyes on a different craft. It was a unique build, a mix of a plan with a helicopter. The scientist from before was aboard, along with Lokoko. No sign of Ash or Misty though. Team Rocket must have decided they weren't worth further notice, and left them to rot inside the base. So now what was he going to do? He had considered charging in when they were loading Ninetales, but the troops were too many, and he had held off until he could see Ash and Misty as well. Now though, he had to make a choice.

The shuttle was veering off to the north, and he would have to move fast to keep up with it. But a lot could happen while he was gone. Reinforcements might arrive, to guard the facility or transport its last prisoners away. Assuming they even felt the need to let them live. Perhaps…

_And I was left alone, to wait for him. _

Ninetales' – Lokoko's – words came back to him. The lonely pain, from so many years of futile hope, burned in her voice like tears. He cast a brief glance back at the facility, but then turned away. "Sorry guys," he said, "but right now you're on your own." Right now, there was someone who needed him even more. "Hang on, Lokoko," he said, gazing at the shuttle. "I'll show you that promises can be kept."

Jessie smirked and kept her head high as she marched down the empty corridors of the base, her partners right behind her. Well, James, at least. Meowth, still recovering from the Evolution Inducement Wave, was resting in a nearby office suite. No matter. This was a big moment for them. Things had been in the dumps for them for a while, since they learned that their membership in Team Rocket had expired and that they needed to pay off their debts to that Delibird to get back to the top.

Now though, things were looking up. With the rest of the troops busy handling the Ninetales and the Gyarados, the base was mostly deserted now, leaving her, James, and Meowth the highest-ranking officers on duty. It would have been a little higher of a distinction if there was actually anyone else in the building to outrank, but who cared? This was just the kind of thing to put on the resume when they asked the Boss for a promotion. And he'd definitely have to promote them now, once they at last brought him back the greatest prize of all.

She stopped in front of a prison cell and opened the door. "Rise and shine, Twerps," she called. Ash and Misty, restraints still on, stood up. Pikachu and Togepi continued to sit, still exhausted from the wave.

"Are you enjoying Team Rocket's hospitality?" James said.

"Let us out!" Ash yelled.

"You're not going to get away with this!" Misty said.

"Brave words," Jessie said, "but they won't do you any good this time."

"Why don't you come in here and say that?" Ash countered.

"Indeed, we will," James said. "Your little Pikachu is our gift to the Boss, after all." Pikachu tried to summon the strength for a Thunder Shock, but could only produce a few small sparks. "We would give him the Ninetales too," James said, "but she's already a present for the research department."

The Twerps' anger increased. "What do you mean?" Misty said.

"Where are Brock and Lokoko?" Ash demanded.

"The Ninetales is on its way right now to a special facility," Jessie said. "No idea what happened to your squinty-eyed friend."

"Probably ran away," James said. "He was always the smartest of you three."

Ash opened his mouth to say something, but Misty gestured slightly with her head, and he calmed down. "Fine," he said. "There's nothing we can do, after all."

Triumphant, Jessie sauntered into the cell along with James. "I'm glad you see reason," Jessie said. "Since you're being cooperative, maybe we'll leave the rest of your Pokémon alone."

Suddenly, James paused as something occurred to him. "Hey, wait," he said. "Wasn't that Primeape locked up here too?"

Jessie frowned. "You're right," she said. She looked around the room, but the big ape was nowhere in sight. "We had him restrained, so he couldn't have gotten anywhere. So where is he?"

It was then that Jessie noticed the all-too familiar grin on Ash's face, the kind that always promised a swift retribution. "Oh, he's here all right," Ash said. He looked up at the ceiling. "Why don't you say hi?"

The team slowly looked up, and saw Primeape crouched on a corner of the ceiling. Before they could react, he leaped down onto them. James oofed as Primape kicked him in the stomach and sent him flying against a wall of the cell. Jessie tried to tackle it, but found herself thrashed around like a net on an angry Tauros. "I thought we disarmed the big monkey!" she said.

"He still is!" James said. He was right, it turned out, as the restraints were still on Primeape, keeping his arms locked at his sides. That proved to be of no use though, as Primeape still fought on.

"You thought you could disarm a Primeape?" Ash said, grinning. "Primeape didn't win the P-1 for nothing. And he can kick just as well as he can punch!"

Within seconds, Primeape had yanked the three into a wild brawl. Jessie, to her disconcertion, learned that a Primeape's feet were just as dexterous as its hands, allowing the berserk Pokémon to swing and slam them around like loose rope. When the dust cleared, the Twerps and Primeape were nowhere to be found – and the door out of the cell was locked shut.

"Hey, ya guys!" Meowth shouted outside the door, his usual vigor mostly back. "I just saw the Twerps run past! What's goin' on?"

"Never mind that," Jessie said. "Get us out! Our promotion is on the line!" Those Twerps weren't going to mess up this chance to make things up to the Boss. This time, they wouldn't get away!

"Ash," Misty yelled, "I told you to go left, not right!"

"I was going to go left," Ash countered, "but then you said right!"

"I meant it was right to go left, not right!" Misty said.

Ash groaned, but let the argument lie. Right now, they had worse things to worry about. After making the switch with Team Rocket, Ash and Misty had dashed for the exit. Team Rocket had a knack for getting out of its messes for a second round, so there was no time to waste.

Unfortunately, Ash's sense of direction had led them wrong again. Instead of reaching the exit, they had stumbled into a dead-in, leading to a large room with some kind of engine. "Hey, I think this must be what's powering the Evolution Inducement Wave," he said.

"Let's worry about that later," Misty said. Ash nodded and turned warily to face the door. Already he could hear footsteps. It was times like this that Ash really appreciated Brock. The patient breeder always kept his head in trouble like this, and would have had them out in no time. Now though, there was no choice left but to fight.

The question was, how? Unfortunately, they never got their restraining devices off before the escape, so they couldn't grab their Pokeballs. That left only Pikachu – still weak – and Primeape. Ash had faith in Primeape, but knew that Team Rocket hardly ever decided to play fair. If they decided to go all out, Primeape could get swamped.

"It's the end of the line for ya," Meowth said. He, Jessie, and James all approached from the corridor, along with Arbok, Weezing, and Victreebel – and Wobbuffet.

"Hand over Pikachu," James said, "and we'll let the rest of you go."

"Not on your life!" Ash said.

"We won't give up that easy!" Misty said.

"Fine," Jessie said. "Arbok, get in there." The snake slithered forward.

"Go for it, Primeape!" Ash said. Primeape charged in to kick the lights out of Arbok.

Jessie however remained calm. "We're ready this time," she said. "All right, Arbok, Bite his foot!" Arbok opened its jaws wide and caught Primeape's foot. Primeape pulled it out, but now it looked a little pale, poisoned by the snake's fangs. Ash groaned. This was bad.

"Now it's your turn, Victreebel," James said, pulling the carnivorous plant off his head. "Use Razor Leaf."

Primeape tried to dodge, but its reflexes were down. "Come on, Primeape!" Ash said. "I know you can dodge those."

"I think he's letting them hit him on purpose," Misty said.

"What do you mean?" Ash said.

"Look," Misty said, pointing at the straight line between them, Primeape, and Team Rocket. "If any of those leaves misses Primeape, they'll go straight at us."

"Dang, you're right," Ash said. And with them tied up, they couldn't get to their other Pokémon.

Wait a second… "That's it!" Ash said. "Primeape!" he yelled. "Make sure you let those leaves hit us!" Primeape looked at Ash strangely, but nodded.

"Ash, are you crazy?" Misty said.

"Don't worry," he said. "I've got a plan."

Team Rocket just grinned triumphantly. "Guess the Twerp's finally flipped," Meowth said.

"If you want to get hurt that badly," Jessie said, "we'll kindly help you with that. James, give them another round."

James nodded. "Victreebel, use Razor Leaf one more time!" Victreebel launched another barrage of leaves. This time, Primeape jumped straight up, and let the leaves fly at the party.

Misty trembled, but Ash held his ground. "The hoops!" he said. Suddenly understanding the plan, Misty nodded. They quickly shifted their positions so that the leaves hit the iron hoops restraining them. The metal bars fell apart neatly in chunks.

Team Rocket took a step back worriedly. "Uh, oh," Meowth said.

"James!" Jessie said. "What were you thinking?"

James waved his arms desperately. "But you said…"

"Now it's our turn!" Ash said. He tossed a Pokeball, releasing Cyndaquil.

"You too, Poliwhirl!" Misty said. The spiral-bellied fighting toad joined the small fire rat as Team Rocket slowly backed up in horror.

"Hey, we helped ya get free, didn't we?" Meowth said desperately. "You oughta owe us for that, ya know?"

"Oh, we'll repay you all right," Misty said.

Pikachu leapt to his feet in agreement. "Pikachu!" Ash said. "You're feeling better now?" Pikachu nodded and let sparks fly from his cheeks. "Then let's go all out! Pikachu, Thundershock! Cyndaquil, Flamethrower!" Cyndaquil's fiery back intensified, only lowering as the flames began to transfer into its open mouth.

"Poliwhirl, Water Gun!" Misty commanded. Many sparkling yet hard bubbles began to float around Poliwhirl, swirling to match the amphibian's belly spiral. Ready, all three launched their attacks at once. The triple blast of lighting, fire, and water surged toward Team Rocket.

At the last moment, Jessie rallied. "We're not done yet," she grunted. She yanked Wobbuffet forward. "Enough cheerleading, do something for a change!" Wobbuffet glowed as it used Mirror Coat. The shield absorbed and reflected the attacks back at the party, forcing Ash and Misty to dive out of the way with their Pokémon.

However, Team Rocket's victory was short lived. Primeape had continued to rush forward, narrowly avoiding the return blast. The attack actually helped him by finally breaking his own restraints. With his fists finally free, he knocked Team Rocket into the ceiling and out into the sky with one mighty punch.

"Good work, guys," Ash said.

"Now we can get out of here," Misty said. "We need to find out what happened to Brock and Lokoko – and the Gyarados."

"You're right," Ash said. "Let's get moving, Pikachu." Ash glanced to his partner, then faltered. Pikachu had fallen to the ground again, and writhed in pain. "Pikachu?" he said.

"Pi…" Pikachu said weakly.

"I thought you were finally shaking off the effect," Ash said. "What's wrong?"

"Ash," Misty said urgently. She pointed behind them toward the generator. "I think we have a problem."

Ash looked and gasped in realization. The reflected attacks had torn a large hole into the power core. From the looks of the nearby shredded cables, the earlier Razor Leaves had also done their own damage. As a result, the massive generator shook violently, flashing off and on as the power in it approached a breaking point. "The machine's out of control!" Ash said. "We have to stop it!"

"How?" Misty said. "All we can do is get away before it's too late."

"You're right," Ash said. They quickly returned Cyndaquil and Poliwhirl, both trembling, back to their Pokeballs. Not that they were sure that would be enough to protect them. "Come on!" Ash said. He tried to carry Pikachu toward the exit, assisted by Primeape.

However, the noise steadily grew, from a silent hum to a deafening screech that forced Ash and Misty to their knees.

Between the maddening pitches, Ash managed to make out Misty yell, "Togepi, no!" Togepi was beginning to glow white, as evolution began to set in.

Ash however was more worried about Pikachu, who was suffering the same change. The white light began to cover Pikachu's body, disappearing into the fluid energy. Tears began to roll down Ash's face. "Pikachu," he sobbed. Behind them, the engine exploded, and a sudden, howling wave of power swept over everything.

_Ash stood proudly against the flock of Spearows as they approached, holding back the fear and despair in his heart. It was his first day as a trainer, and everything had fallen apart. Maybe Pikachu was right in disobeying; he deserved a better trainer. But maybe, he hoped, he could make it up now, in one last stand. "Spearows, do you know who I am? I am Ash, from the town of Pallet. I am destined to be the world's number one Pokémon master. I can't be defeated by the likes of you! I'm going to capture and defeat you all! You hear me?!" Then Pikachu jumped on his shoulder and unleashed a surge of lightning, nothing like he'd ever seen before._

_Ash struggled to hold himself together as he stared at Pikachu, a full body cast wrapped around him. He'd had challenges before, but nothing like Surge. They needed to get stronger, but how? One convenient solution was in his hands: a Thunder Stone, to evolve Pikachu into a Raichu. But, was that really the right way? "Pikachu," he finally said, holding the gem in front of him, "what do you want to do?" Pikachu stared at the green crystal, then forced himself up. He hesitated for a moment, and then flicked the stone away with his tail. That was the answer then, Ash decided, as he linked hands with Pikachu. They'd grow stronger on their own, working together and believing in each other. No matter what the odds were._

_Ash ran off into the night, alone. He didn't know where he was going anymore, not with Pikachu beside him. But it was for the best, he knew, leaving him with the other Pikachus. He seemed so happy being in the wild with them. Ash didn't want to hold him back, even if it meant letting go of part of himself. But then, as the sun rose, Pikachu appeared on the hill. As Pikachu came running down and leaped into Ash's arms, Ash reflected on how he could be an idiot sometimes, blinding himself to the truth. He'd give up anything to stay with Pikachu, and he knew that Pikachu would do the same._

No. Ash clenched his fists in defiance. Pikachu was his best friend, his partner from the very beginning. He wouldn't let this happen, no matter what. He slowly got on his feet, cradling Pikachu's white form in his arms. Vaguely, he noticed a blue glow enveloping him, but he didn't care. "Pi. Ka. Chu!" he yelled. Then the blue light burst out all around him, and everything went black.


End file.
